An award is something to be proud of and its location in the house is often someplace where all eyes can gaze upon it. However, this also means that the award is sitting exposed and is collecting dust. Maintaining a frequent cleaning schedule will allow you to ensure that the award always looks at its best. Here are a few tips on how to clean your precious crystal trophy or plaque:
– Always use a dry soft cloth (preferably microfiber) to wipe the crystal. A soft cloth will not only lift all the dust, but will also prevent smudging. For any hard to reach areas, use compressed air cans; they are readily available in computer and hardware stores.
– The commercial brand of cleaner you use to clean the windows in your house is good enough to be used on crystal as well. Another alternative is to use white vinegar, and you will find many people who swear by it. However, using white vinegar as a cleaning agent can be a bit tricky.
Vinegar, on its own, is acidic enough to corrode the surface of the crystal. Before it can be used, it needs to be diluted. Getting the vinegar-water solution down to the right pH level is the tricky part; too acidic and the vinegar will harm rather than clean. Not acidic enough and the white vinegar won’t be a cleaning agent at all.
– Never spray the cleaner directly onto the crystal; spray it onto the microfiber cloth and then wipe the crystal. Just like your car windows, putting the crystal award under direct sunlight after cleaning will cause unsightly streaking on the surface.
