How to clean a cloudy glass

• Written by Holly Hughes on March 09, 2022

Nothing can ruin a beautiful bouquet as quickly as a cloudy or stained glass. And we don’t just mean their look! A cloudy or grimy glass can actually cause your flowers to die faster, reducing the amount of time you get to admire and enjoy them.

So, to make sure you can enjoy your fresh flowers for as long as possible, and keep your glassware and vases sparkling and shining for years to come, here are the best ways to clean cloudy glass.

How to clean vases with baking soda and vinegar

Though some experts warn against putting baking soda in vases to clean them due to its sometimes abrasive cleaning effect on glass, it can be used in a vinegar solution to effectively clean and remove water stains from glass containers.

The cleaning process couldn’t be simpler. All you need is one tablespoon of baking soda, some distilled white vinegar, a microfiber cloth, warm water, and some sort of scrub be that a sponge, bottle brush, or even a used toothbrush.

Fill the dirty jar with warm water, ensuring any stains or residue that need to be cleaned are submerged. Add in your baking soda and vinegar (adding in more baking soda if it’s a larger vessel). 

Wait until the fizzing subsides before emptying the water out of the vase and using your anointed scrubber to clean out any remaining residue. Rinse again with warm water before drying with the microfiber cloth.

Et Voilà - a beautifully clean vase!

How to clean glass vases with vinegar and salt

Another option to clean crystal vases is to make a vinegar and salt paste. Mix some distilled white vinegar with ½ a tablespoon of salt (again adjust this depending on container size) and then to clean simply rub this paste into the inside of the vase using your scrubber of choice. Toothbrushes are a great option for small or intricately-shaped vessels.

Allow it to sit for ten minutes or so before cleaning the paste away by rinsing with some warm water. Dry the vase with a microfiber cloth.

A top tip when rinsing out your vases is to use distilled warm water as this will prevent any risk of leaving spots or grimy stains on your clean glass due to hard water.

How to clean vases with bleach

According toMartha Stewart, cleaning vases with bleach is another effective method for eliminating harmful bacteria and leaving you with a sparklingly clean urn ready to be gifted with flowers.

To clean your container using this method, just mix one part bleach to 10 parts water, pouring this solution into the vessel. Let it sit for 2- 4 hours, as you would when cleaning a toilet bowl, and then scrub using your bottle brush, sponge or toothbrush. Empty out the solution and wash the entire vase with warm, soapy water before a final rinse and dry with a microfiber cloth for a dazzlingly clean effect. 

How to clean acrylic water in vase

Acrylic water has become a popular decorative choice in many floral displays. However, it too can become sullied and dirty looking. Here’s how to clean yellowed acrylic water in a vase.

Fill the vessel containing the acrylic water mass with acetone. Typically, acrylic water takes up roughly half of the container so you need enough acetone to fill the rest of the vase right up to the top.

Leave this solution for a few days before emptying out the acetone and the acrylic water that will have dissolved in the chemical. Repeat this process until all of the acrylic has been removed. 

How to clean glass vases with narrow necks

The problem with many vases is, the more beautiful and dazzling their design, the harder they are to clean. This is particularly true of vessels with narrow necks. 

The good news is that there are ways to still give your slender vase a thorough and dazzling clean - and all using products you already have in your cupboard!

For this, you will need 1-2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar, 3 to 4 tablespoons of uncooked rice, warm soapy water (preferably distilled), and a microfiber cloth.

Fill the vase until it’s a third full with soapy water. Add your vinegar and then your rice - adding more or less of both depending on how big the vase is. Plug the vase mouth and then swirl the mixture for several minutes, allowing the rice to act as a natural scrubber. 

Leave the vase to sit for a few hours, occasionally giving it another swirl to remove any residual grime. Pour out your cleaning solution, rinse with warm water, and dry with a microfiber cloth.

Not only do all of these methods effectively clean vases, they’re also an easy guide for how to polish glass vases. Following any of the above tricks will guarantee you a sparkling and crystal clear vase ready to house any number of beautiful flower arrangements. All you have to do now is get the flowers!

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