How to Care for Carnival Glass
Carnival Glass was offered as a prize at fairs and "carnivals." It is an inexpensive glass with vivid carnival type colors of orange, gold and purple iridescence made in the United States somewhere in the years of 1895 and 1924. Many people collect carnival glass and; as it is an older collectible glass, caring for your pieces should be done with great care.
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Instructions
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Place a soft towel or cloth as a liner in the bottom of your sink or dish pan to be used as a cushion for your piece of carnival glass. Add room temperature water to the sink or pan and let your piece of carnival glass soak for a short period of time. Use a soft dry towel or cloth to wipe dry gently.
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Repeat Step 1 if your piece of carnival glass was not cleaned thoroughly, but this time add a small amount of mild liquid dishwashing soap and let it soak in the soapy solution. You may even use a soft washcloth to rub the stubborn areas gently.
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Clean on an extreme scale if necessary, which may require using oxalic acid or even sodium hydroxide, known as lye. The lye cleaner or soap can be purchased at a local hardware or grocery store. Read the label and be sure to purchase only 100 percent sodium hydroxide with no additives. Test a small, not visible, spot on your glass piece first to make sure your piece will be safe with the stronger cleaning agent. Take care with the lye cleanser and wear full eye goggles and protective gloves to protect your skin.
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Store your carnival glass in padded or protective containers. The padding should be cloths or felt and not plastic or bubble wrap. Do not store or display your carnival glass in very hot direct sunlight.
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Tips & Warnings
To remove remains of stickers that will not come off with the recommended cleaning care, check with an antiques glass dealer to purchase the appropriate cleanser for your carnival glass. Wearing rubber gloves to clean your glass piece will keep the glass from becoming too slippery when handling in the water or soapy water.
Never put your carnival glass in the dishwasher as the pressure and heat will break or damage it.
Do not use extreme temperatures of hot or cold water as this may cause your glass piece to crack. Clean only one glass piece at a time to avoid the pieces bumping together and breaking.
If you choose to use the lye cleanser, protect your eyes and skin.
