Cleaning Corners – How to Clean Crystal Glass Engraving

If you own any crystal glass engraving pieces, you need to learn how to effectively clean dust, dirt, grime and even spills without damaging the said pieces. But you don’t want to clean off caked dust in the corners only to find out you’ve scratched or blemished the piece for life.

Here are a few practical tips to help you clean a crystal glass engraving without leaving any damage at all.

1. Use a little detergent with ‘delicate’ dishwasher settings – this is the first thing you need to do to clean glass pieces meant to hold food or beverages. A little gentle detergent coupled with the delicate setting on your dishwasher should be able to dislodge dust and clean out those crevices without causing damage to the piece itself. If the dirt is a bit more stubbornly situated in the grooves, then a soft-bristle toothbrush dipped in sudsy water will help loosen the dirt or particles up a bit.
2. Use straight ammonia for cloudy pieces – if the pieces have been washed enough times with tough detergent, the glass will eventually settle into a rather cloudy and unattractive shade. You can solve this problem by applying pure ammonia, which should clear the piece right up. Just be careful not to mix the ammonia with any kind of acid or vinegar-based cleaner while working, and work in a well-ventilated area to keep yourself safe.
3. Clean oil stains with paint or lacquer thinner– the oil from our fingertips can actually cause long-term damage to a crystal glass engraving, which is why many collectors insist that they not be touched. If you notice a layer of oil collecting and marring the beauty of the piece, rubbing a light coating of thinner followed by a window-cleaning solution ought to solve the problem.
4. Polish off with a microfiber cloth – these cloths are great for crystal glass engraving pieces. They are very absorbent, allowing them to suck up any excess water, cleaner or detergent that finds its way into the grooves. They are also fine enough to avoid leaving streaks and lint on the piece.
5. Work fast – liquids have an annoying tendency to streak when left to dry on shiny surfaces - which is why you need to move quickly when cleaning these pieces. Make sure to rinse and then dry off the pieces as quickly as you can, while steady circular motions with your microfiber cloth will help ensure those streaks have no time to form. This is especially important when working with chemical cleaners like detergents or ammonia since streaks caused by these materials can be a bit trickier to clean off.

George Berdichevsky is the Founder of 3Design Center, which designs image files to be used in crystal glass engraving machines. His team of talented artists can create bespoke images for 3D crystal engravings from any idea or image. Visit the website for more information.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.