How to hand wash crystal wineglasses without breaking them

Afraid to put those Waterford crystal wine glasses in the dishwasher? Me too.. but I've also had one slip out of my hand and shatter in the sink while hand-washing it. Here's how to do it without breaking them.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• dirty wine glasses
• mild dish washing detergent
• baby washcloth
• kitchen sink/faucet
• counter space
• fluffy bath towel per approx 9 wine glasses - depending on size of glasses
• 1 fully hand towel for sink
• 1 fluffy hand towel for each 3 or 4 wine glasses - depending on size of glasses

1. First, clean off a good sized area on the counter, large enough to hold all the glasses on their side without touching. Fold the bath towel in half (longways) to cover the counter space you will use to let the glasses dry.

2. Roll one of the fluffy hand towels from end to end, to create a cradle for the stem/base of the wine glass when drying. (roll remaining towels, and set aside for next rows)

3. Plug sink, and cover bottom of sink with a fluffy hand towel. Fill sink 1/3 of the way up, with hot soapy water. Make it as hot as you can, without it being to hot to keep your hands in.

4. Using a baby washcloth, carefully wash each glass, then rinse with hot running water, and place stem base up on rolled fluffy towel with the lip of the glass on the folded bath towel. repeat steps, until there is no room to put another stem base on the 1st rolled up hand towel. Then, put another rolled up hand towel just next to the glass rim, and wash another row of glasses.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash the glasses after the rest of the dishes, and kitchen cleaning have been finished. This way, you are not moving heavy pots, or other objects that can be dropped or knocked into your crystal.
• Do not put glasses in sink, wash just 1 at a time. This will save you, should you drop a glass in the sink, the towel on the bottom should keep it from breaking, however, if it hits another glass in the sink, they will BOTH break.