Homeowners are being advised on how to get their wine glasses shining like those in a five star restaurant as the festive season begins.
Glass experts at MeandMyGlass.co.uk have revealed their five top tips to get wine glasses clean and sparkling, which include using newspaper and uncooked rice.
It may be tempting but avoid putting the delicate items in the dishwasher as they could break and the detergent may also cause the glass to become cloudy.
Soaking wine glasses in a solution of white distilled vinegar and warm water is the most effective way to get them clean.
Use some newspaper or a microfiber cloth to polish the glass until it sparkles, and clean from top to bottom.
Other tips include swirling round uncooked rice to clean those hard to reach places and using steam from the kettle to remove smudge marks.
John Cutts, founder of MeandMyGlass.co.uk said: “It is easier than you think to get your wine glasses in sparkling condition before all your family and friends come over this festive season.
“One of the biggest mistakes we make when cleaning our wine glasses is to put them in the dishwasher – but this is a bad idea as the detergent and hot water can cause them to crack or turn cloudy.
“Instead, you should hand wash your glasses and soak them in a white vinegar and warm water solution.
“To get your wine glasses sparkling like a five star restaurant, spend time polishing with some newspaper or microfibre cloth.
“Another tip is to swirl around uncooked rice to gently scrub the areas of the glass stem which can be hard to reach.
“Holding your wine glasses over steam from boiling water will also remove any smudges or residue.
“Start cleaning your wine glasses from the top and work your way down to ensure all of the smudge streaks and marks have gone.”
Here’s how to clean your wine glasses like a five star restaurant:
- Soak in vinegar
Mix together equal parts of white distilled vinegar with warm water. Soak your wine glasses in the solution before wiping with a sponge. Rinse the glasses to remove any residue to make them sparkly clean.
- Don’t use the dishwasher
Avoid putting your wine glasses in the dishwasher as the detergent and hot water could be too harsh for the glass and you also risk breaking them if unsecured. Instead, hand wash the glasses to prevent them from getting damaged.
- Rice cleaning
For those wine glasses which have narrow and hard to reach areas, swirl around some uncooked rice and warm water to allow the grains to gently scrub the interior of the glass.
- Newspaper to polish for sparkles
Gently rub some newspaper, microfiber cloth or paper towel across your wine glasses to achieve a sparkling and smudge-free finish.
- Don’t forget to clean the base
Make sure that the stem and the base is properly wiped clean as these areas can collect dust, grime and fingerprints.
- Start at the top of the glass
Work your way down cleaning the glass by starting at the top. This will allow you to inspect any marks all around and keep the glass as polished as possible.
- Steam away residue
Hold your wine glasses over a bowl of boiled water to allow the steam to dissolve away any smudges, stains and residue marks rather than scrubbing the glass.
