How to Wash Glassware

There are people who are deeply in love with kitchen chores. Washing dishes, to name one. But there are also people who, on the other hand, who loathe the whole ordeal of running their hands through greasy pots and plates. The latter for sure have already installed dishwashers in their respective homes to do the "dirty" job for them. However, it isn't all the time that households should rely on dishwashers. There comes a point in time that they have to go back to the basics, using a sponge to scrub relentlessly those kitchenwares - some of them really need special treatment, like the custom glassware.

Drinking glasses also grow old as we do. Those transparent ones can even get a bit yellowed with age, stained with tiny spots and can have a cloudy smudge on the brim. Bringing them back to their glory days, where they're still crystal clear, is fortunately an easy 1-2-3 step task. You'll just need some familiar tools for this: dishwasher detergent, rinsing agents, dish towel and rag, and vinegar.

For those who can't really get rid of their dishwasher, there are special cleaning and rinsing agents that can totally remove the stains off the glasses. But if these agents didn't work for some reason, then you would need to do the work by a hand instead:

Step One: Washing
The first step is to lather an ample amount of soap and bathe it in a basin of lukewarm water with a half cup of white vinegar. Wash your glasses in there with a dishrag. If you must know why on earth should you use vinegar, this one fraction of the whole formula is effective to get off stubborn stains like lipstick. Next step is of course to rinse every glass carefully. Afterwards, dry it right away with the use of dishtowel.

Step Two: Soaking
Moreover, to easily remove the thick stains, you have to soak the glasses in vinegar for an hour. After that, wash the glasses in warm soapy water. Once more, you need to rinse each glass and dry it with a towel.

Step Three: Repetition
Despite this efficient yet affordable method, the stains and spots may still keep coming back, requiring you to do the process on a regular basis. Use a rinse agent in your dishwasher regularly or wash your glasses in that warm soapy water with vinegar twice a month. Also, to conserve your time and energy doing the chore all over again, and to prevent stains, the trick is to patiently dry the glasses by hand instead of letting them dry on their own. You still need to do the same by the way, even when you're using a dishwasher. Most importantly, store the glasses in a clean and accessible cupboard.

Tips for Handling Glassware

Glassware is the most delicate and fragile kitchenware. Without proper care and handling your glassware does not last. The more you use it the better you need to get at handling your glassware. This comes with time but there are things that you can do in order to significantly increase the lifespan of your precious glasses and vases. Here are a few tips for handling and storing glassware.

1. Most often glassware is broken through intense use, or just by washing it or handling it improperly for storage. It is advisable to keep you're your glassware out of dishwasher and micro ovens. Great care is always necessary and if you know you have a habit of dropping things rather let other family member handle your glassware.

2. Don't use hot liquids on glasses that are not suitable for them. Tea cups and glass mugs are perfect examples of hot temperature resistant glassware. If you do indeed need to pour hot liquid into a thin glass make sure you put metal object of some kind under the glass. Metals are perfect temperature conductors and will add another level of protection for your glass. Most often your glasses will not crack if they have a metal object under them like a fork or even a stainless steel surface.

3. Some glasses are not meant to be used with cold liquids. Make sure you check the manufacturer notes in this regard.

4. Prior to using them or even to wash them you need to rinse your glassware. In this way the detergent will have more effect on removing the stains. 

5. Whenever you wash your glasses, don't rush into getting them all done. Wash them gently with a sponge and detergent then rinse them thoroughly. Take them one at time.

6. Lint-free towels are perfect for drying and prior to storing they need to stand on a counter for sometime in order to let every drop dry.

7. Place the glasses individually on flat surfaces or shelves.

The most important piece of advice is to watch the extreme temperature changes.  Nothing deteriorates glass as temperature does. It creates minuscule cracks that with time make the glassware more fragile. So be aware of temperatures. Cold rooms and hot liquids on glasses are not good friends.

An extra level of care needs to come along with antique custom glassware. Due to age and intense handling, old glassware needs a different approach. There are products specially designed for this type of glassware and handling and storing them should be a more responsible process, since these pieces are most often expensive and also have the value of jewelry.

Modern Glassware Designs

Changing times call for changing looks and styles. What may have been considered the hottest and freshest look of yesterday may now be deemed boring and seriously weathered (you are lucky if the old look you sport is considered vintage or timeless). Nowadays, with the rise of what we may call the Lady Gaga Generation, not only clothes, hairstyles and accessories have taken on a more experimental and innovative look. Cars, furniture, appliances, even our everyday meals, have somehow been modernized and made more artsy. Glassware, of course, was not able to escape this inevitable evolution.

We know that carafes are bottles with flaring lips that hold beverages, particularly wine. But did you know that French designer Etienne Meneau has come up with a carafe called “Little Heart”? The “Little Heart” has four interconnecting tubes resembling major veins of the heart, thus the name. Meneau, who is known for his unusual carafe designs, has made this particular model smaller than his previous works for it to also function as a drinking glass. Only 12 of these were produced and released into the market.

The debate on whether the glass is half-empty or half-full has been going on and on for centuries that I think it’s about time to change the topic. This zipper wine glass will definitely give us something else to talk about. It features a hand-painted zipper on one side with an actual zipper-pull (in silver or gold) attached on the middle. It also comes in martini, pilsner and shot glasses and beer pitchers. So is this sexy tease of a glass half-zipped or half-unzipped? Well, that conversation will definitely require those drinks to keep coming.

Speaking of debates, who says you have to drink from a beer bottle to be considered a “real man”? Can beer be enjoyed more when served in a glass? Let the Hopside Down Glass help you answer these questions. It cleverly fuses the beer bottle and glass to give you a whole new beer-drinking experience and much, much more. Now there is no need to get into a bar fight over who is more macho. Without a doubt, the Hopside Down Glass is the king of all things manly and tough.

With our fast paced lifestyles, it is sometimes difficult to take a sip of our favorite drink and not overlook some of our important tasks for the day. It’s a relief to know that the evolution of modern glassware has not failed to consider our busy schedules and lifestyles with write-on mugs andtumblers. With this convenient and innovative creation, we can now enjoy our drinks on the go—and remember to take out the trash or shop for groceries, too! Plus, we can always erase completed tasks at the end of the day and write new ones in the morning!

There are many more modern glassware designs out there which offer the perfect balance between aesthetics and function - it’s up to you to find what fits your lifestyle best. As for me, I’m still on the lookout for the Lady Gaga monster glassware collection.