Tips for cleaning china and crystal

● Always wash fragile, antique or gilded china and crystal in warm, soapy water.

 

● Delicate items should be wiped with a dishcloth or soft sponge only (not a brush) to prevent scratching.

 

● Wash, or at least rinse, delicate china as soon as possible after use to prevent damage to the glaze.

 

● Rinse crystal in clean, hot water with 1⁄4 cup white vinegar added and air-dry upside down on a rack.

● To clean a red wine stain from a crystal decanter, put 2 teaspoons each bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar into the decanter with
1 cup tepid water and shake well. Empty, then add more warm water with a little cloudy ammonia. Shake, empty and rinse well.

● To remove the hairline cracks that sometimes appear in the glaze on fine china, soak the item overnight in warm milk, then hand wash.