I understand that polident does a great job on glass. Just fill with water and pop in a tab and let soak.

Not polident, the other stuff you use to clean dentures. LOL, I need to get to bed. Good thing I don't wear dentures or I'd be in big trouble.

Have you tried vinegar.

Thanks for the replies -- we tried vinegar but maybe I need more concentrated. I tried the standard white vinegar like you can get in the supermarket. Is there something stronger?

And brutuses, not being a denture girl myself, I'm trying to think of what you mean. Do you mean the stuff that fizzes and you drop the teeth into a glass? Ah, I just found where someone recommends cleaning diamonds with denture cleaner...

Here is a link that might be useful: I'm game...

That (denture fizz) makes me think of toothpaste -- I use it to clean my (transparent) stone jewelry. I learned about it from Joan Rivers (!): she was on some talk show and she said "you brush your teeth and [spit] clean your diamond ring!"

I have to say it works! My only concern is if it might be abrasive on your glasses .... Hmm.

Please let me know if one of these ideas works for you. I acquired a beautiful and heavy set of glasses, and they have this problem. The dishwasher doesn't phase it.

One time I added baking soda to dish water the glassses were beautiful,shine!

"Thanks for the replies -- we tried vinegar but maybe I need more concentrated. I tried the standard white vinegar like you can get in the supermarket. Is there something stronger?"

Yes there is. The stuff you buy in the grocery store is 5%. You can get it in 15% and even 30% at garden centers for killing weeds, but be warned.........It is dangerous stuff. Vinegar is an acid and at concentrations that high you can damage your skin or blind yourself. Don't breath the fumes.

Hydrochloric acid is used to remove lime and calcium deposits and Lime-a-Way is 46%. Just let it soak don't rub or scrub.

But the real reason the glassware looks cloudy is probably that they have become etched. Someone probably washed them repeatedly in the dishwasher and the glassware is damaged not dirty. If you only wanted to use them for display you could rub mineral oil on them to diffuse the light and the microscopic scratches won't show, but that won't solve the problem for something you wish to use for beverages.

You can get a bit more concentrated vinegar but it is hard to find. Try the internet. And then try the baking soda. The toothpaste has a bit of abrasive in it, which is why it works. The dishwasher additive you're thinking of is a citric acid derivative, and I think the powdered drink "Crystal Lite" has it, too. Sometimes the stains won't come off the glass, though. Good luck, and if something works, please let us know.

I have a lot of depression glass, some in the ruby, and it's hard to mess up the glass. Try 409, and if that doesn't work, use Lime Away. I have very hard water and Lime Away works wonders.

I'd love to see a picture of the glass!

Wow, there are so many great ideas here! I'll be off to Lowes today. Andee, I think you're right about the citric acid -- I remember people saying it got precisely what this looks like off the glasses, and I'd always thought it was impossible to get this off. Maybe I could try soaking them in citric acid before doing the others. In the back of my mind lurks the fear that you're right, dilly dally, but at least they're so beautiful that I can use them for mosaics if nothign else :).

oakleyok, they're not exactly a ruby in that if you hold them up to the light at a tilt and look through one thickness as compared to a double thickness, there's almost a bit of orange/gold tone to the red, as opposed to that bluish red I associate with ruby. A warm ruby, kind of. I *love* this color.

off to do science experiments :)

Glisten is the best stuff I've found. It's basically citric acid (just like Tang), but works well in the dishwasher and in fact, is sold as a dishwasher cleaner. I'd be careful with colored glass as it likely contains mineral salts, which could react. But the clear parts should be fine.

Here is a link that might be useful: Glisten

If they're truly etched, not stained, and the color is all through the glass (not painted on), try using MicroMesh, it's fabulous for shining up etched glass. Get it in a couple of intermediate grades (say, 1500 to 12000) and graduate up, just like sandpaper. I get mine at the woodworking supply.

Here is a link that might be useful: Micro Mesh

Thanks, idee & circus. Glisten, that is exactly what I was thinking of. The glass is colored all the way through rather than applied or cased, but I'll remember your warning.

And circus, WOW WOW WOW! I'm so thrilled that you have introduced me (us) to micromesh! DH is thinking of everywhere we can use it...we're off to Woodcrafters today to get some. I probably sound a bit geek-ish but learning about new sanding/polishing technologies really excites me :) Thanks!

LOL, but of course, Fly, from a fellow geek.

I first discovered Micromesh when I was polishing old plastic telephones (don't even ask..) -- and found that it's also brilliant for smoothing out those darned edge chips in drinking glasses you'd otherwise have to throw away. And it was great for polishing up the dings on my vintage enamelled stove and sinks, and and and...

It's good for a zillion things, and it takes a lot to use up one little square of it. Rockler carries it, so I'm sure Woodcrafters will, too. Enjoy!

Thanks for the Micro mesh tip CP. I had never heard of it.

I learn so much here! I'm going to read up on the product. I am interested in something like this for auto glass.

Thank you.

circuspeanut, which grade did you use for the drinking glasses? ...was just sorting through my crystal today!

fly
Have you tried solution of vinegar & boiling water/really hot water -
I let mine soak for quite sometime, refill sink w/hot water & then use microfiber cloth to scrub them.

Also, have you tried hot water & DW detergent let them sit in it?

GL

Well, looks like it's up to the micro mesh to save the day if it's going to. The glasses are as clean as denture tablets and Crystal light are going to get them, but the etching remains...

The bright side: if the micromesh works, I have so many things I want to use it on! circuspeanut (yeah, I told my DH that someone named circuspeanut was really well-informed and helpful...ah, the internet), I have the same question linnea does: what grade do you use for glass so as not to create more scratches but to get chips out? Or do you start with a lower grit and work your way up to 12K/

Flyleft, A few years ago I inherited a heap of fancy crystal and Meissen china and so forth. I had it all appraised in order to insure it. The appraiser, who had a Christies/Sotheby's connection and was highly regarded in the local area was very nice. She came out to the house and looked it over. Some of it had the kind of staining/cloudy etching you might have on your glassware. Life you, I had tried various cleaning methods to restore the sparkle and was very frustrated. I had this gorgeous Victorian era punch bowl and lots of small cut vases and pitchers and I wanted to use it! What this appraiser told me is that there's nothing you can do to the glass once it gets this cloudiness. She called it 'sick' glass and (I hope I am remembering this correctly) the cloudy appearance is caused by microscopic cracks in the glass itself. I can't remember what she said causes it, but the worst thing you can do she said was to introduce more water into the glass and try to scrub it out. It would look okay when wet but just dry cloudy again. Among the antique pieces were several fabulous decanters and venetian blown and cut pieces from the 1700s. Those that were "sick" had next to no value. I think it's okay to use them (I use them decoratively as vases and candleholders, etc). Maybe if you google "sick" glass you can find out more.

judithn, yes, I do think we're talking about the same thing. AND YET: I googled "sick glass" and the first thing I came up with was a way to fix it! I'm lucky it's glasses and not a decanter, but I'm a little leery of using copper shot or bird gravel, and it's giving me hope that micromesh maybe at 12K may be able to do the trick. I'm going to get it today. Was going to order it (DH didn't want to drive all the eway down) but I think I'll just go get it. I'm really curious now.

Here is a link that might be useful: if it comes to bird gravel, I'll do it, but try the mesh first

hey there,

Ha! I chose circuspeanut years ago for my first online message board, and it kinda stuck. I figure it's probably more memorable than my real name. :)

I have to apologize; I had the grits incorrect in my previous post. To polish drinking glass edge nicks, I used Micromesh 1500 through 12,000, going from 1500 - 1800 - 2400 - 4,000 -6,000 - 8,000 - 12,000. I'm thinking it's really OK to skip the lower grits if your scratches aren't that deep; always better to start out gentle and lower the grit only if necessary.

I can't recall exactly, but I likely also used some Wenol polish along with one of the higher grits (the fine version, in the blue tube: another really superior product if you ever have to polish chrome, shiny plastic, etc).

After the final 12,000, buff with chamois, suede, rubber eraser, microfiber cloth, spectacle polishing cloth, etc. (Micromesh sells various hobby kits that include some polishing goo and a nice rubbery final buffer. The ones they sell for acrylic seem to work well for glass, too.)

cheers! definitely keep me posted on any polishing progress -- ... copper shot?!

Here is a link that might be useful: linkie link

Moisten an old newspaper, just tear a page, and wipe the glass thoroughly.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bathroom Countertops Florida