How to Properly Clean and Maintain Your Glass Trophies
Glass trophies provide several benefits over other kinds of awards.
Notably, glass medals create an illusion of space. These awards offer a more spacious medium for accentuating the engraved message.
It doesn’t matter whether the trophy was earned in honor of exceptional workplace performance or as a tribute to athletic prowess. The glass construction will allow the engraved message to shine through, broadcasting your achievements to the entire world.
Besides their rich optical clarity, glass trophies stand out for their customizability. Depending on the strength of the material used, glass medals can serve as an enduring symbol of honor for generations to come.
However, a glass trophy’s durability and aesthetic appeal depend primarily on proper care and maintenance. Below is a comprehensive guide to cleaning and maintaining your glass medals for maximum longevity.
How Frequently To Clean Glass Trophies?
Many experts recommend wiping glass trophies at least once a week.
However, there’s no hard-and-fast rule about how regularly you should clean your glass medals. The frequency ultimately depends on the general environmental conditions, particularly the air quality in your home or office.
Wiping your glass trophies once a week or every fortnight may work during less windy, low-humid weather. However, you may want to adopt a more regular cleaning schedule during windy and/or humid conditions.
How you choose to display your glass awards will also determine the frequency with which you clean them.
The conventional wisdom is to keep the medals inside a clear, not open, trophy cabinet. This allows you to showcase your achievements to all while preventing excess dust from settling on your precious trophies.
However, perhaps the fundamental question to address here is how to wipe a glass trophy safely.
Glass is undoubtedly one of the easiest trophy materials to clean. However, due to its brittleness, extreme caution is paramount when handling glass awards.
Procedure for Cleaning Glass Trophies
1. Understand the glass your trophy is made from
Glass trophies can vary significantly in strength and durability.
Certain types of glass are reasonably scratch-resistant, while others are too fragile.
Knowing the type of glass you’re cleaning is important to applying a safe amount of pressure.
2. Pick the right fabric
Microfiber towels are the ideal fabric for cleaning glass medals. They are super absorbent and dry remarkably fast.
Microfiber towels are particularly effective at removing fingerprints and other unsightly smudges from your glass trophy.
Shun regular bathroom towels or paper towels, as these can deposit lint on your glass awards. Regular towels may also fuzz out your glass trophies, blemishing their otherwise sparkly appearance.
If a microfiber towel is hard to come by, you might consider feather dusters or lint-free cloth. The former is perfect for light dusting, while the latter works best for stubborn stains.
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3. Select a suitable cleaning solution for Glass Trophies
Not every household cleaning product is safe for use on glass trophies. Picking the best cleaning reagent calls for in-depth research and due diligence.
The right glass trophy cleaning reagent should combine diluted white vinegar and dish soap.
Avoid solutions made from harsh chemicals like bleach and acetone. Multipurpose cleaners, ammonia sprays, hot water, and alcohol-based solutions (such as methylated spirits and isopropanol) aren’t safe either.
Not only can these chemicals damage your precious glass trophies, but they may also be toxic to your health if ingested or inhaled.
4. Dab your microfiber towel into the cleaning solution
No matter how mild a cleaning reagent appears, you should never spray the solution directly onto your glass medal.
Instead, dab a microfiber towel into the cleaner and gently wipe down your award.
The base of many glass trophies typically features a different material, with wood being the most popular option. It’s best to hold the award by the base while wiping the glass components.
Avoid touching a clean glass trophy with your bare hands, as your fingerprints may leave unsightly marks on the award. Similarly, keep the cleaning solution off the wooden base.
Other Maintenance Tips
1. Placement
Glass medals are safer in the trophy cabinet. The idea is to keep them within clear view but out of reach.
Avoid displaying your glass trophies on a table or in other areas with frequent traffic.
Also, the selected cabinet must be sturdy enough to provide stability for the displayed trophies.
2. Handling
Often, you’ll receive guests who may want to touch and feel your glass trophies.
Insist on having the awards held by their bases or handles (where applicable).
Keep hands off the glass basin to avoid staining it.
3. Moving
Exceptional care is paramount while moving glass trophies to avoid breaking them. Follow the same rules as when packing glass utensils.
Start by wrapping your glass award in soft paper or a towel. This helps to absorb shock during impact.
Then, place the wrapped trophy in a suitcase or backpack, preferably sandwiched between clothing.
Wrap Up
Proper care and maintenance alone aren’t all it takes to enhance the longevity and aesthetic appeal of glass trophies. It’s equally important to consider the type of glass the medal is made from.
Most glass awards are traditionally fashioned from jade glass. Jade is preferable for its distinctive subtle hues and ease of customization. It’s also relatively affordable compared to many alternatives.
Other popular options for glass trophies include crystal and diamond. Although not a true glass, diamond is beloved for its rich sparkle, superior durability, and high resale value.