It doesn’t matter if it’s Baccarat or Pottery Barn, all glassware over time can become cloudy if not properly cleaned. Why does the cloudiness develop to begin with? Mineral deposits like calcium and magnesium trapped in hard water create what looks like a permanent film over the glass. Also, corrosion can be a factor if the glassware is old. It’s an awful look. The glasses are clean, but they look dirty.
There is, however, a way to fix this. Special glass-polishing cleaners and restaurant-grade cleaners such as Restaurant Crystal Clean work to eliminate limescale and return your stemware to sparkling condition. Restaurant Crystal Clean is plant-based, 100% biodegradable, preservative-free (although it does come in a plastic bottle, so it’s not zero-waste), and is highly concentrated which means you only need about one drop per glass. That said, it’s a bit more on the pricey side at almost $30. So if you’re looking for the bargain option, white distilled vinegar also works well, although you will have to soak your glass a bit longer.
If using vinegar, create a 50/50 warm water to white vinegar solution and soak the glasses in it for at least fifteen to twenty minutes. Use a plastic scrubber or nylon net to scrub the limescale away. As soon as you remove the glass from the solution, use a clean microfiber towel to dry them to prevent streaking. If you are then going to run the glasses through the dishwasher, take them out before the dry cycle and dry them by hand, again to prevent streaking.
To maintain their transparency, prevent water droplets (which contain the mineral deposits) from drying on the glass. Hand washing and hand drying is usually the most effective way to prevent cloudiness over time. Sometimes, however, the cloudiness has become permanent. If you angle the glass towards the light and there are shades of pinks, purples, and blues, it’s unlikely that the condition can be improved or fixed at that point. Longterm mineral deposits cause the glass to corrode or create permanent scratching.
PopUP CleanUP offers event cleanup and breakdown. Scullery services will be considered as an add on depending upon the scale of the event.
