Gransnet forums

House and home

Cleaning vases

(41 Posts)
KatePie Thu 03-Sept-15 16:52:14

Hello, I'm having a pre-autumn spring clean and am considering getting rid of a load of old vases which I simply can't get clean. They're too narrow at the end and no amount of swishing wash liquid or stuffing cloths down the bottom will get them clean. Any ideas? Some of them I don't mind getting rid of (DH certainly won't mind!) but some I'm quite attached to. Must be a simple solution. What do hotels or florists do?

Nanabelle Thu 03-Sept-15 23:08:25

I wonder if bicarbonate of soda or even soda crystals would work? I use in teapots and it makes the tea stains lift off easily. I too have heard of the vinegar tip.

annodomini Thu 03-Sept-15 23:09:49

Since getting my smart meter, I've discovered that the tumble drier is my biggest consumer of electricity. so, despite the wet weather, I am trying to minimise its use. After all, if I hang garments on an airer they take longer than in the drier, but if Im in no hurry for them it doesn't matter. I have a narrow airer which i can hide in the bath when I'm not in it.

Anya Thu 03-Sept-15 23:18:29

For glass vases that have very narrow necks I use rice grains, and shake them hard for a couple of minutes. The abrasive action gets rid of most stains and then I rinse them away and if necessary repeat. Most of the staining is algae anyway.

annodomini Fri 04-Sept-15 09:32:50

As I recommended the 'Oxy' method, I tried it out on three pottery vases (my glass ones are still unstained) and it worked like a charm.

auntiekatie Fri 04-Sept-15 11:05:22

Confused about why taste matters when cleaning vases? I always use steradent for perfect sparkling glass and crystal (and live with the embarrassment if having denture tablets in a non-denture household! smile ) and have seen Milton tablets work well too. Am sure soda crystals would be good too but perhaps more caustic?
Scottish too and couldn't do without both tumble drier and wishdosher though only tumble sheets and towels sheets and towels, everything else in drying cupboard. No time to run in and out between showers although there is something really nice and fresh about clothes dried outside.

shysal Fri 04-Sept-15 11:39:06

Auntiekatie, someone mentioned wanting to clean a decanter, hence taste issues. smile

Ana Fri 04-Sept-15 12:01:40

And mugs.

Auntieflo Fri 04-Sept-15 16:58:37

Auntiekatie, love the idea of a wishdosher!! Is it a family name thingy, or just a typo. We called car parks, parcarks for ages after a little one renamed them. Dishwasher works for me and clean vases every time.

tiggypiro Fri 04-Sept-15 22:41:04

Sloes are growing well in the hedges so will try the bleach method for the decanter. Thanks for your help.

hamster111 Sat 05-Sept-15 10:01:37

I use Alka Seltzer tablets in water , leave for half an hour then rinse, works well.

etheltbags1 Sat 05-Sept-15 10:22:23

who cleans vases ?, I just rinse them and let them dry, when they get the next lot of flowers in you cant see any stains.

helmacd Sat 05-Sept-15 13:06:54

By the way, whilst talking about bleach - it's great for removing teastains from teaspoons - just put a little into some water and leave spoons soaking for a couple of hours.

lindar Sat 05-Sept-15 13:23:29

Bleach and baby bottle brush works for me

Wendy Sat 05-Sept-15 17:09:53

Bleach or dishwasher liquid works for me. Good in tea pots too. Just rinse well after

Iam64 Sat 05-Sept-15 20:19:22

bleach if going in the dishwasher doesn't do the trick