How to Clean Carnival Glass
Carnival glass derives its dramatic iridescence from mineral salts sprayed on the surface of the pressed glass in the glass making process. Carnival glass dates from circa 1908 and went on to gain popularity as a carnival prize. Carnival glass typically includes colors common to sunsets and peacocks. These colorful plates, bowls, vases, candy dishes and other festive glass products take pride of place with many glass collectors. The challenge in cleaning carnival glass lies in the glass's fragile nature and sensitivity to temperature changes. With careful handling, you can clean carnival glass effectively with minimal risk.
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic dish pan Hand towel Thick bath towel 2 or more large pitchers of room-temperature water Rubber gloves Soft dish towel Dish soap
Instructions
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1
Remove rings, bracelets and your wristwatch. Cover the counter next to the sink with a thick towel--or two towels, one on top of the other--to pad the surface.
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2
Fold a hand towel. Line the bottom of a plastic dishpan with it.
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3
Pour room-temperature water into the dish pan.
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4
Don rubber gloves. This will reduce the risk of dropping the glass when it's wet.
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5
Place one item of carnival glass in the dish pan. Leave the piece of carnival glass to soak for 20 minutes.
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6
Check the carnival glass. If it soaked clean, remove it from the dishpan and set it on the towel. Otherwise continue to Step 7.
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7
Add a small squirt of regular liquid dish soap to the dishpan, if needed. Soak the carnival glass for 15 minutes.
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8
Rinse the carnival glass item carefully with room-temperature water.
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9
Pat the carnival glass dry gently with a dishtowel or other soft cloth.
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10
Polish the carnival glass with the soft cloth, rubbing in a circular motion.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Always clean only one item of carnival glass at a time to reduce the risk of chipping. Use only room-temperature water on carnival glass. Cool or warm water can crack old glass. Keep carnival glass out of direct sunlight. Don't wear jewelry, metal fingernail ornaments, jackets with zippers at the wrist, or anything else that might chip or scratch carnival glass when you handle the glass items. Don't ever put carnival glass in a dishwasher. Whenever possible, handle carnival glass over a padded surface.
Never use abrasive cleansers such as scouring powder or any household ingredient with a gritty or rough texture to clean carnival glass. These types of cleaners may scratch through the colorful finish that gives carnival glass its characteristic iridescent appearance. Never use rough rags or textured sponges of any kind on carnival glass to avoid scratching the finish.
References
- Photo Credit carnival glass image by Jeffrey Sinnock from Fotolia.com
