WineLovers Discussion Group

I have heard some people say that washing your crystal glasses in a dish washer eventually leads to the glass being damaged, perhaps etched by the wash powder.

So, how do you wash your wine glasses?

Neil Courtney wrote:So, how do you wash your wine glasses?

I leave them on the bench for you to wash.

I leave mine on the counter overnight hoping for the Crystal Faeries to come wash them. Then I do them by hand the next day. A bit of soap on the outside with a very wet sponge and a very hot water rinse.

Just as interesting is wondering how others dry their stems. I tried drip drying but it always leaves big water marks on the bowl and a water mark buildup around the rim (which makes them look like I didnt wash them). Now I use a couple of chamois cloths to take most of the water off but I'm so concerned about breakage when I dry them.

Always by hand, very little detergent and thorough hot rinsing thereafter. Detergent residue can have a disastrous effect on beading in flutes.

Avoid dishwaters, if at all possible. Contamination, breakages, scratching, staining are all too common with this practice.

Both of your cartoon avatars actually look like you! At least as much as is possible in the 64x64 format. Are they custom-made, or did you just find cartoons that sort of fit?

Both of your cartoon avatars actually look like you!

Ya, that's me on a bad hairball day.

Bill Buitenhuys wrote:

Both of your cartoon avatars actually look like you!

Ya, that's me on a bad hairball day.

Actually, I was talking to the Courtneys, but this thread took off.

Bill Buitenhuys wrote:I leave mine on the counter overnight hoping for the Crystal Faeries to come wash them. Then I do them by hand the next day. A bit of soap on the outside with a very wet sponge and a very hot water rinse.

Just as interesting is wondering how others dry their stems. I tried drip drying but it always leaves big water marks on the bowl and a water mark buildup around the rim (which makes them look like I didnt wash them). Now I use a couple of chamois cloths to take most of the water off but I'm so concerned about breakage when I dry them.

I use very hot water in the rinsing process, followed by inverting the glass on a stable draining rack the best method, Bill.

Does anyone have/know of a better method?

I use very hot water in the rinsing process, followed by inverting the glass on a stable draining rack the best method, Bill.

That sounds exactly what I do, David, yet I get lots of water spotting. Maybe I need to try hotter water.

Robin Garr wrote:Both of your cartoon avatars actually look like you! At least as much as is possible in the 64x64 format. Are they custom-made, or did you just find cartoons that sort of fit?

Custom-made - from weeworld.com. I had to do a bit of tweaking to get a glass in both hands, though.

David Lole wrote:I use very hot water in the rinsing process, followed by inverting the glass on a stable draining rack the best method.
Does anyone have/know of a better method?

David - seems we use the same method as you. Hand wash in soapy water (normal amount of detergent), hot rinse in clean water (our water supply is from the roof) and left to drain. If the rinsing water is very hot, the glasses dry pretty quickly. The I use a paper towel, if necessary, to wipe any drip residues off from around the rim.

on if my wife gets fedup with looking at dirty glasses accumulating around the sink after more than five minutes. On the other hand I would have a fit if the large Burgundy crystal went into the dish washer...so I usualy clean them right away, very carefuly with hot soapy water and left on a rack to drain.

Simon

We've used the dishwasher for ten years with no breakage and beautiful clear glass. No etcihng at all.

Stems go into a plastic rack that holds the glasses upside down on the lower rack.

Stemless, now our glasses of choice for almost all purposes, go upside down on the top rack each held by a cup on either side. Again, perfectly clean, dry and no etching.

We use liquid Cascade which works well with our water.

Regards, Bob

We have some of the Schott Zweisel glasses (titantium instead of lead). Those I wash in dishwasher(we use the Chardonnay glasses most nights, nice 12-14 oz bowls). If we're having a Bordeaux or Burgundy I particularly want to pay attention to, I use the appropriate Spiegelau stems, and handwash (a soapy sponge around the rims, and then repeated hot water rinses). Dinner parties are all handwash, as I only have 3 of the SZ Chardonnays and 3 of the ridiculously sized SZ Bordeaux (3 of each because they're not TOTALLY unbreakable).

Dale, we use those plastic racks in the dishwasher and do our very best Riedels with no problems. A friend broke one helping clean up after a dinner, and with some trepidation we moved to the racks. Never a problem.

I sent you an Private Message on the Netscape version of WLDG; would you prefer that I re-send to your email address here?

Regards, Bob

By hand mostly, with a little detergent. I also know people who use no detergent at all, only very hot water.

Bob Ross wrote:Deleted

Stemless, now our glasses of choice for almost all purposes, go upside down on the top rack each held by a cup on either side. Again, perfectly clean, dry and no etching.

Bob, are you saying that stemless wine glasses are you choice for nearly all your tasting and dinner? I have tried the Riedel O's and can not even imagine drinking from them at the table. Did not like them at all.

Absolutely, Bob. We love them.

One hint: watch people at a party and how they hold their glasses.

Second hint: watch people at a wine tasting and see how they hold their glasses.

Third hint: watch my dishwaster -- the stemless don't need any protection except a couple of cups to cuddle between.

Fourth hint: watch my microwave when the wine needs four seconds on high to take that little edge of coldness off the reds.

Such a joy!

We save the stems for wine snobs, and for when we want to be a bit snobbish ourselves. :-)

PS: watch Bob watch TV in his recliner and enjoy Janet's comments and his second glass of wine -- all by itself and without food. When Clive comes jumping up into my lap, those Os just sit there nestled in my lap. Hate to think what a stemless would end up as.

Regards, Bob

Sue Courtney wrote:

Neil Courtney wrote:So, how do you wash your wine glasses?

I leave them on the bench for you to wash.

I leave them on the countertop for my teenagers to rinse after washing them. This not recommended for good crystal!:!: They are hard on the stems, especially the red wine glasses. Although that may have something to do with my drinking about 3:1 red:white wine.

Tom Noland

Life is too short to drink cheap wine, but it would be even shorter if I washed glasses by hand. I NEVER wash glasses by hand. I have broken way too many by hand washing and only one ever in the d/w.

Using the Tritan Titaniums, I have zero fear when they go in the dishwasher, but I put my Riedels in there too ... even Sommelier Burgs.

My wife used to wash the wine glasses in the dishwasher. I always noticed an off odor when she did, probably the rinsing agent used to prevent water spotting. It tended to go away after a few sips, always by the second glass, but those first sips were deadly! I insisted that the glasses be washed by hand, and so I became the one who washed them. A bit of a hassle, but it greatly improved the first sip of wine.

Neil Courtney wrote:I have heard some people say that washing your crystal glasses in a dish washer eventually leads to the glass being damaged, perhaps etched by the wash powder.

So, how do you wash your wine glasses?

Neil, I was going to post on this very topic--because I'm having problems with my dishwashered glassware.

Namely, after a few passes through the dishwasher, my glasses acquire this sour milk odor. It's a horrible smell all on its own, and of course it does no favors to wine. This built up awhile back so I used Efferdent to clean the affected glasses and reverted to washing by hand.

After a few months of waiting for the same Crystal Faeries that don't come to Bill's house, I started slipping them into the dishwasher again. That was about two-three months ago. Now? Rampant sour milk smell again, so we're back to handwashing.

Some facts:

Dishwasher: two year old Bosche
Water: softened
Soap: Cascade Liquid, dispensing receptacle filled only halfway

What in the heck could be causing this?

I also had an issue with the liquid detergents and have had a much better time without any chemical residue or stench by using powder.

Roy Hersh wrote:I also had an issue with the liquid detergents and have had a much better time without any chemical residue or stench by using powder.

Thanks, I'll make the switch. Funny though, you'd think the powder would be more inclined to etch.

And yes, in answer to another question, I do get down to Seattle occasionally. On average about every other month, believe it or not. You up for din din sometime?