| Cleaning Bottles |
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| Date: 07/05/2005 Language: English |
By rdiez  Here are some tips on cleaning bottles and glasses.
Mineral Deposits: Bottles, and glasses that have been used to hold flowers or were constantly filled with water can sometimes get a crusty, white buildup on the glass surface that is difficult to remove. This buildup is caused by mineral deposits. There are certain types of bathroom/household cleaners (Lime-Away works best) that will remove lime scale and mineral deposits. Mineral deposits are often present along with staining of the glass.
Etching/Staining: White stains and cloudiness on glass is caused by the leaching, or removal, of certain components of the glass mixture over time. This often occurs on the inside of bottles that have contained a liquid or have been buried in the ground. These stains cannot be cleaned by conventional means, but must be left to a glass cleaning professional. A super fine polishing compound is typically used in a rock tumbling-type process to restore the glossy surface of the glass. The cost for this service typically ranges from $10 to $50, depending on the severity of the stain and the amount of work involved.
Dirt and other stubborn material on the glass surface and inside the bottle: Soaking in warm water with dishwashing detergent is a highly effective way to remove most dirt and stains. Let the glass soak for several hours. People have gotten good results using denture cleaning tablets or powders also.
Scratches and bruises: Minor scratches can be removed by a glass cleaning professional, but often you have little choice but to leave them alone.
Rust stains: These are often left on dug bottles and can be difficult to remove. Scrub with a non-abrasive pad or gently scrape with a piece of copper, which won't scratch the glass. Also try rust removing compounds that are available at local discount and hardware stores.
Do's: Always use a non-abrasive pad for scrubbing. Copper wool pads are available at some grocer and hardware stores, and will not scratch glass. Make sure that the copper pads are really copper and not just copper-colored or copper plated. Use soft bristled brushes for cleaning the inside of bottles
Do not' s: Steel wool and many household synthetic scouring pads can scratch glass. BB's, sometimes used to clean the inside of bottles, can also scratch glass.
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