how to clean glass chanukah cups

dee's mommy

Wed, Dec 21 2011, 10:01 am

I tried this last year, and it helped a lot: I use steel wool (scouring pads.) It doesn't get it all perfectly clean, but it is a big improvement.

PinkFridge

Wed, Dec 21 2011, 11:54 am

Get ammonia. Dilute heavily - three to one? - with water, with water being the dominant. Put glasses in zipper bag, pour in solution. Let sit somewhere safe, probably overnight. Works like a dream! This is what I did last year. Not sure of exact proportions. But they ALL came out like new. It made lighting last night so special.

Optione

Wed, Dec 21 2011, 11:56 am

PinkFridge wrote:

I second this one.

The other suggestion is to rub them with dawn (no water). Let sit for a bit and then scrub. Then rinse off.

Good Luck!

PinkFridge

Wed, Dec 21 2011, 11:59 am

As a P.S. I forgot to mention what to do the next day: pour the liquid out, rinse well, but you'll see that there will be no scrubbing needed.
Gloves and good ventilation are helpful.

MGmom

Wed, Dec 21 2011, 12:06 pm

I treated myself to new ones! Wink

They were too sticky to even look at, very pretty n economical. Dont think I will even bother washing them this year.

RachelEve14

Wed, Dec 21 2011, 12:46 pm

Laundry detergent. Put them in another container, sprinkle laundry detergent (powder) over them. Cover in boiling water (don't put hte boiling water right on the cups, I put it off to the side and let it fill up the cups). Cover completely and let cool overnight. In the morning you should just have to rinse.

emhabanim

Wed, Dec 21 2011, 1:30 pm

amonia- or any household cleaner with amonia in it
just stick the holders in a ziploc bag with amonia or the amonia cleaner and let it soak - comes out clean with no work

Lambqueen

Thu, Dec 22 2011, 1:19 am

baking soda

put some on A DAMP paper towel
use it to rub out the oil and black marks

you can do the same thing with your neronim

graphixmom

Thu, Dec 22 2011, 1:20 am

I use oil every shabbos when I bentch lecht and stick them in the dishwasher after shabbos. its the easiest way to go if you have a dishwasher!

PinkFridge

Sun, Feb 19 2012, 11:13 am

Optione wrote:

PinkFridge wrote:

I second this one.

The other suggestion is to rub them with dawn (no water). Let sit for a bit and then scrub. Then rinse off.

Good Luck!

Reprising this thread. I just found my cups where I left them. It didn't work. Any precise directions, like degreasing first? I think I may have done that the year before. And proportions for water and ammonia? And how long does ammonia stay potent? I bought it for the previous Chanukah and hadn't used it since. Thanks!

Strawberry2

Sun, Feb 19 2012, 2:00 pm

I put them in a bowl standing up, I put a bit of soap into each one & then fill to top with boiling hot water. I leave it for an hour or 2 and then all it needs is rinsing. If their really bad I leave them overnight.

Fabulous

Sun, Feb 19 2012, 2:01 pm

Did you try steel wool? I use the "disposable" kind for chanukah and even though I use candles for shabbos, it is very hard to clean the glass and steel wool is the only thing, aside from the dishwasher (which I don't have) that works.

PinkFridge

Sun, Feb 19 2012, 2:01 pm

Strawberry2 wrote:

I'm sure this has been asked before but they don't crack from the hot water?

PinkFridge

Sun, Feb 19 2012, 2:04 pm

Fabulous wrote:

Yes, I've used steel wool and it's really tedious. I used ammonia the year before this past Chanukah and I ended up with cups that looked as good as new. I don't know why it didn't work this year and am wondering if I forgot a first step, if there are precise proportions and I was off, etc.

dee's mommy

Sun, Feb 19 2012, 3:28 pm

[quote="chocolate moose"]soak in lestoil[/quote]

I tried this last year, and it worked beautifully. It's like they are brand new.

sped

Sun, Feb 19 2012, 3:38 pm

DvoraG wrote:

Anyone know where you can get ammonia in Israel?

I think you can't, maybe because it is used in explosives.

PinkFridge

Sun, Feb 26 2012, 10:55 am

The rest of the story/oops/never mind/etc:

So it's rosh chodesh Adar and I look at these soaking menorah cups and figure that I have to put them away, even if I don't see the gunk floating around like I did the year before, and I open the window, put on gloves to rinse them out and discover that very gently rubbing my finger around inside I dislodge just about everything that's left. Not quite like the first time I tried the ammonia but such an improvement over all the years before that I can put them away in good conscience.
Thanks and a freilichen Purim and chag kasher v'sameach! Tongue Out