Topic: Best way to clean??

[AJLUNN1965]

Hello....i have recently purchased this lovely vase by Flavio Poli....i believe??? Its in lovely condition but has about 40 years of dust in it!! Ive tried to clean it but due to the narrowness of the neck its been difficult!!! Any ideas or techniques?? would appreciate any ideas??

[Alfies Dad]

Hi, I'm not sure but I think I've read somewhere previously on this board of copper balls or maybe lead shot?, couldn't say if this is the best way tho for cleaning this vase. sure someone will advise on the best method.

[KevinH]

A search of the Board using "cleaning" as the keyword will find many past threads with suggestions for cleaning a variety of glass items.

A couple that cover some ideas (with links to other threads also) are:
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,32957.msg178497.html#msg178497
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,7724.msg65230.html#msg65230

[squizoid]

Hi, if not lime scale...I would suggest, plastic bb gun balls, cheap as and will remove all dust, just shake around with minimal water. Have used many times with great results.

[suzzi]

Hi there, Hydrochloric acid is a good glass cleaner. It is sold as Muriatic acid (33% Hydrochloric) at hardware stores. It is dangerous stuff, be careful...wear eye gear and gloves. Make a solution of about 3 gallons of water and a box of baking soda as a stop to neutralize the acid after letting it sit a while. You can reuse the acid, don't flush it or dump it. I then would use a wire hanger wrapped with tape and 000 steel wool at the end as a brush to get the rest of the residue out.

[ahremck]

How tall is the vase?  How wide is the opening?

Ross

PS.  If you try something be sure not to use warm or hot water.

[Paul S.]

hello AJ  - nice piece  -  and if only it was just dust   -  you wouldn't then have a problem, but as it is quite likely to be limescale (or worse) -  plus the very narrow neck, then you have difficulties.    As has been suggested, the proprietary product Magic Balls (plus metal polish) is a good start, albeit time consuming, and tumblers are an alternative, but then you have to buy the machine to start with.     I like suzzi's idea, and although I am aware of muriatic acid, hadn't considered it was something purchased easily in the U.K.  -  I think suzzi is from over the pond.    I know that Ivo has commented previously on the need for extreme care when using strong acids, and with a piece like this - it may prove safer to have the vase cleaned professionally.    Anyway, good luck with the cleaning

[taylog1]

if you do wash with water to remove the dust, once you've poured out the water swill it with meths and leave it to dry with the mouth facing down - it'll remove the remaining water drops and when the meths evaporates you won't get any small limescale spots.


not tried muriatic acid - aka hydrochloric acid or spirit of salts (hardware stores in uk often have spirit of salts as a drain cleaner)

[chopin-liszt]

Don't go poking metal things into it!
I once ruined the arris (inside bevelled edge) of a lovely vase trying to clean the bottom of something.

I also nearly took my eyebrows off when I rinsed something with meths, then thought I'd burn it off! It did a very loud boom, and gave me a real fright!

I do the final rinse with distilled water (easily and cheaply bought as deionised water for irons and batteries),
then twist a taper of kitchen roll and stick it in down to the bottom - the tissue will absorb the water vapour.

The best thing I find - especially to start with, is that enzymatic clothes washing liquid, in a bit of room temp. water, give it a soak, then a swirl with copper balls.

To get rid of rust stains, minced raw onion shifts them.

Anything horribly smelly (perfume residue) can be made sweet again by rinsing with a dilute solution of sodium bicarbonate - but don't soak it - it's a bit alkaline, and glass doesn't like alkali.

Water stains need a professional  person or at least professional equipment and stuff.

Try simple stuff before seriously nasty chemicals.

[johnphilip]

Find yourself a woman and just leave it to her . :ooh: :hi: it works if you can stand the nagging . :ooh: