Cleaning Your Swarovski Crystal

We are often asked by our Crystal Fanatic Friends, How Do You Clean Your Crystal ?

The BEST thing I have found to Clean Crystal is just plain old soap (a mild dishwashing liquid) and water.
Do not use any product that contains ammonia. Over time, ammonia will cloud the crystal. Many household glass cleaners contain ammonia, so be sure to check the ingredients. You can also purchase a crystal chandelier cleaning product, but I found that they just attract dust and dirt.

NEVER place a piece of crystal in your dishwasher!

To CLEAN:

• Line your sink bottom with a thick towel, or place a plastic mat inside the sink. This helps to prevent scratches and accidental breakage.
• Carefully clean one piece at a time.
• Do not soak crystal for long periods of time, the glue will dissolve.
• Thoroughly rinse with tepid water and wipe dry your pieces with a cotton dish towel; air drying tends to leave spots.
• Sometimes a wet Q-tip or a light, feathery brush is helpful for those hard to reach-and-clean places.
• Candleholders with melted wax on them need special attention. A quick 15 seconds in the microwave (be sure to remove any metal first) will soften the wax so that it can be removed easily. Wash in warm, soapy water to remove any remaining residue.
• This advice: ALWAYS handle crystal, after it is dried, with cotton lint free gloves; makes sense, but I find that the gloves get in the way.
• As any of you who have ever had to clean a large collection know, sometimes removing pieces to clean and then placing it back in a display cabinet, is when most breakage occurs. It's easier to remove and replace it, even though it's time-consuming, one piece at a time. You should also concentrate on one shelf at a time.
• Take off anything with cuffs or long sleeves that can get caught easily in some pieces of crystal, and remove any jewelry to prevent scratching pieces.
• Be sure to remove your crystal from front to back and replace your crystal from the back to front.

    For those with large collections, Display Cabinets are necessary.
    Be sure not to leave your crystal displays in direct sunlight, or leave the display lighting on for long periods of time; it will melt the glue on your crystal.
    We found that wrapping the inside edge of your Display Cabinets with simple weatherstripping that is commonly used around doors and windows, dramatically cuts down on dirt and dust. You can find it easily in any hardware store.
Want to Learn More About your Swarovski Collection?
Come JOIN The Crystal Fanatics
Crystal Fanatics Club
The Premier website For Collectors of Swarovski Crystal !

© Copyright 1999-2011. Crystal Fanatics Club, Inc.