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Clean Glossy Surfaces
Cleaning glossy surfaces requires more care than other cleaning tasks. It’s essential to be cautious not to scratch or leave cleaning marks while achieving a shiny finish.
Glossy Surfaces: Polishing Mirrors
How to clean and polish the mirrors? To create a sparkling finish on a mirror, apply a few drops of denatured alcohol. Be careful not to let any liquid seep under the sides of the frame or behind the glass. Buff with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth.
Hanging Heavy Mirrors
Large mirrors can often damage the wallpaper or paint on the wall they hang from. To prevent this, attach strips of foam rubber or pieces of cork to the back corners of mirrors using adhesive or double-sided tape.
Glossy Surfaces: Chandeliers
- Regular dusting: Use a long-handled, fluffy brush to dust a chandelier regularly. This will reduce the need for frequent thorough cleaning.
- Cleaning: Turn off the electricity at the fuse box and cover each bulb with a plastic bag. Cover the ground below to catch drips. While standing on a ladder, wipe all glass parts with a solution of dishwashing liquid. You can use spray cleaners for glass beads. Unscrew and clean cache bulbs. Use metal polish on the glossy surfaces of metal parts. If you have to dismantle the chandelier, make a diagram to put it together again.
Glossy Surfaces: Decanters and Vases
- Cleaning: Put a handful of salt and 2 tsp (10 ml) of white vinegar in dull decanters and vases. Shake vigorously, then rinse. Alternatively, use a solution of white vinegar and water and a little coarse sand. Shake well, then rinse.
- Stains in crystal vases: To remove stains and grime deposits, fill a vase with water and 2 tbsp (30 ml) ammonia. Leave for several hours, then wash and rinse. Always wear gloves when using ammonia.
- Stains in decanters: Use a solution of household bleach to remove port stains from decanters. Be sure to rinse thoroughly until all traces and smells of bleach are gone.
- Storing decanters: Place a small silica packet (available from florists) in decanters to absorb any moisture and prevent mustiness.
Glossy Surfaces: Watches
Clean the glossy surfaces outside the watches using the methods described here. For cleaning the insides of a watch, it’s best to get a professional. Always remove a watch before putting your hands in water to prevent damage to the works.
Glossy Surfaces: Treating scratches
To remove scratches from watch crystals, rub firmly for 10 minutes with a piece of cloth wrapped around your finger and dipped in thick metal polish. Afterward, polish the glossy surfaces.
Glossy Surfaces: Spectacles
For loose screws, dab clear nail varnish on the ends: If the screws of your eyeglasses tend to come out easily, dab the ends of the screws (while they are properly screwed in) with clear nail varnish.
Glossy Surfaces: Cleaning eyeglasses
To clean eyeglasses, wash them regularly in a dishwashing liquid solution. To prevent eyeglasses from clouding over, rub them with undiluted dishwashing liquid, or polish them with eau de cologne.
