How to Clean Crystal Candlesticks

With proper cleaning, crystal candlesticks perform for years.

Crystal candlesticks, with their sparkling elegance and timeless beauty, add romance and sophistication to your dining room table. When cleaned and polished, crystal candlesticks shine in the gentle light of a candle's flame. If not closely watched, a candle starts to melt, and wax drips down the sides of the candlestick. This wax is difficult to remove with water once it dries, but it peels away much more easily when frozen. Even if your crystal candlesticks are free of wax, cleaning them regularly keeps them looking their best each time you display them on your table.

Things You'll Need

• Mild dish soap
• Methylated spirits (optional)
• Soft lint-free cloth
• Drying rack

Instructions

1. Wipe the crystal candlestick with lukewarm water as soon as a wax spill occurs. Wax wipes away easily if you clean it before it dries. Alternatively, use methylated spirits instead of water to clean the spill.

2. Put crystal candlesticks in the freezer for about 10 minutes if wax has dried on the surface. The freezer makes the wax hard. When you remove the candlesticks, peel off the wax by hand.

3. Hand-wash crystal candlesticks with mild dish soap and hot water. It is possible to put candlesticks in the dishwasher if the machine has an "average" or "fragile" setting. Do not use the regular cycle; the water is too hot for crystal, and the movement of the machine can crack the candlesticks.

4. Wipe wet crystal candlesticks dry with a lint-free cloth, or set the candlesticks on a drying rack.

Tips & Warnings

• Use nondrip candles with your crystal candlesticks to minimize wax spillage.

• Do not let candles burn all the way down in crystal candlesticks. The fire may cause crystal to burst.

References

• Luxist: How to Care for Your Fine Crystal; Carrie Coolidge; 2009
• WWRD: Care Instructions