Glass vases are a great decorative item for every household. Whether they’re for a fresh bouquet of flowers or are simply there for aesthetic reasons, glass vases are incredibly nice to look at—when they’re clean.
While we don’t expect glass vases to get dirty, especially when they’re being left alone as display pieces, they do. Our homes are filled with dust and dirt that can get on every surface, including a glass vase. More than dust, just leaving an arrangement of flowers in some water can also lead to a cloudy glass vase due to the formation of calcium deposits.
There are so many things that could leave you with a dirty vase, but here are a few ways of how you can clean glass vases with a few household items and ingredients.
How to Clean Glass Vase with Salt and Vinegar
These may sound like some ingredients you keep in your kitchen, but salt and vinegar can also be effective in cleaning glass vases.
Step 1: Make Your Cleaning Solution
To make a simple cleaning paste, just mix half a tablespoon of salt and some vinegar until you have a thick paste-like consistency.
Step 2: Clean Vases
Once you have your paste, rub it all over the base, making sure to pay extra close attention to the areas with built up stains or mineral deposits from hard water. In case of stubborn stains, you can use a sponge, bottle brush or an old toothbrush to gently scrub this away.
Step 3: Leave and Wipe
When you’ve rubbed your paste everywhere, leave it for around 10 minutes to work its magic. Finally, just wipe everything off to reveal a sparkling flower vase.
How to Clean Glass Vase with Baking Soda and Vinegar
This very popular household cleaning combo can also help clean glass vases. All you need to do is fill the vase with warm water before adding a tablespoon of baking soda and some white vinegar. Once everything has been cleaned away, just pour the solution out and rinse your vase thoroughly.
The chemical reaction between these two ingredients will easily get rid of any stains and residue. In case your vase is a bit bigger than usual, you may have to add in more baking soda.
For more stubborn stains, pour out the contents once the fizzing stops and gently scrub at any lingering dirt and grime with a sponge, a bottle brush or an old toothbrush before rinsing everything away with warm water.
How to Clean Glass Vases with Denture Tablets
This cleaning method is a great way to clean vases that are too small. Just fill the flower vase with hot water and drop in one or two denture tablets or alka seltzer tablets. The chemical reaction will take care of any stains and mineral deposits until you’re left with a freshly cleaned vase.
For any leftover stains that are much harder to remove, empty the vase of the denture water and grab a sponge, a bottle brush or an old toothbrush to scrub away and loosen any remaining residue. Then, just rinse everything out with some warm water.
How to Clean Glass Vase with Rice and Soapy Water
It might seem unconventional, but using rice—along with warm water, vinegar and dishwashing liquid—can be a great way of cleaning vases, especially those with smaller openings.
All you have to do is fill the glass vase halfway with some warm water and add two tablespoons of vinegar, a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid, and a cup of uncooked rice. Then, just shake the vase for a few minutes so that the rice can somewhat scrub at the inside of the vase. Afterwards, pour everything out and rinse the vase with warm water.
Things to Keep in Mind
Regular Cleaning
Just as with everything in our homes, it’s best to give your crystal vase a regular cleaning to prevent any dirt, grime or mineral deposits from getting out of control. Cleaning your vase every once in a while can also keep your flowers fresher for much longer.
It’s recommended that you clean your flower vases every time you refresh the water to wash away any bacteria that could make your bouquet wilt much more quickly.
Don’t Scrub Too Hard
When you want to remove any mineral deposits or grime from your crystal vase, it might be easy to forget that these are made of glass and are extremely delicate and fragile. When scrubbing away at any spots, make sure to do this gently and not too aggressively to prevent any scratches or cracks from forming.
Use Lemon for Hard Water Deposits
In case you’re faced with hard water deposits that just won’t come off, you can simply get half a lemon and rub this on the surface.
Hand Clean Vases
It isn’t recommended to just put your glass vases in a dishwasher for its cleaning because the exposure to heat and detergents can cause the glass to deteriorate and accumulate a few pits and scratches. Cleaning vases with a dishwasher can also be the reason for the cloudiness that you’re so bothered with.
When in Doubt, Call Luce Home
When cleaning our homes, we often forget that the small details are just as important. Whether it’s the glass vase on the table or a few shelves at the side of the room, it all matters in maintaining a clean household.