Care Of Crystal And Hand Painted Wine Glasses

Crystal and hand painted glassware is different, and that is why we want it, right? But with that exquisite, one-of-a-kind uniqueness comes some tender loving care not often followed in our convenient, fast, and forget about it lives.

To assure that your crystal stemware and hand painted wine glasses remain as beautiful, brilliant, and clear in the years to come as they do now, we recommend the following care and feeding:

First and most important - fine crystal and hand painted glasses are NOT dishwasher safe. A dishwasher, however so convenient, will cause a dramatic loss of luster and brilliance to the crystal and glass. In addition, a dishwasher will also damage the hand painted and/or hand etched designs as well as fade any 24k gold accents. Now, the choice is yours, of course, but we highly recommend hand washing using a non-abrasive cleaner in warm water. You may wish also to cushion the sink with a towel or rubber mat to save your glass from an accidental slip and fall accident while washing.

Hard water spots can be troublesome for all glass. The best prevention is an immediate hand dry using a soft, lint free cloth. If you live in an area with hard water, you may want to try washing your wine glasses in distilled water to help prevent spotting. If stains do appear, try gently rubbing with a lemon half and washing in vinegar.

To avoid scratching, do not dry dust. Crystal is soft and dust can act as an abrasive.

Avoid exposing your wine glasses to rapid temperature changes or extremes in temperature. For example, don’t store your glasses in the freezer, or wash them in hot water and then plunge them into a cold rinse.

Do not use your glassware in the microwave, oven, or on the stove top. Also, as mentioned above, avoid placing your glasses in the freezer (and we’re going to say that the refrigerator isn’t a good place either.)

Store and/or display your glasses away from direct sunlight and other direct heat sources. (Some display lighting can get very hot.) Also, avoid contact with hard and abrasive surfaces and materials. If this describes your display or storage area, you may wish to line or cover this area with protective felt. In addition, do not place your wine glasses upside down (on their rims), which is the thinnest area and most delicate.

When packing your stemware for long-term storage, use soft cloth, bubble wrap, or similar materials. Avoid direct contact with newspaper or other moisture-absorbing materials for long periods of time. Also, do not allow your wine glasses to come in contact with one another.