Crystal tableware: properties and features of choice

For years, crystal glassware was a symbol of wealth, luxury and stability. Fine crystal wine glasses and salad bowls were in great demand, they could be seen at secular receptions and dinner parties. During Soviet times, dishes of such material in abundance occupied the shelves of sideboards, gleaming in the light of chandeliers. Today, such popularity has remained in the past, but nonetheless crystal glassware is in every home.

Crystal is nothing but one type of glass. For the first time, George Ravenscroft mastered its production technology in the 17th century. Due to the fact that lead was added to ordinary glass, the material was able to play light, that is, the edges of the resulting dishes shimmered and glittered in artificial and natural light. Besides, diamond edges are often added to the crystal, which allows the dishes to gain additional strength.

Very often you can find decorated crystal tableware. The most popular technique is applying gold patterns, for which gold foil is usually used.. It looks quite interesting and etching, allowing the material to get a beautiful, rich luster. As well as masters can matte crystal using sharp sand.

Crystal tableware has many significant advantages:

• exquisite appearance;
• relevance on any occasion;
• strength - unlike ordinary glass, crystal is harder to break;
• the absence of defects - air bubbles, heterogeneity;
• transparency;
• low thermal conductivity - the glass in the hands will heat up very slowly.

Among the shortcomings should be noted the following points:

• high cost;
• need for careful care.

If we talk about some special benefits brought exactly the dishes from crystal, it is almost absent. Rather, crystal does not affect health.

In addition, many believe that drinking from such dishes more pleasant than from glassBecause the drinks stay cool a lot longer, and it is uplifting and soothing. But in any case, hoping to get from the crystal tableware any significant benefit is not worth it.

But the dangers of fine tableware should still be mentioned. The composition of the crystal is lead, which is not too good for the body. But not so bad. The fact is that due to the hardness of the crystal, lead simply does not have time in a few hours to get into a dish or drink. It will take you several days to keep the food in a similar dish so that the harmful impurities finally “come to the surface”.

But even then poisoning is unlikely to follow, since lead tends to accumulate in the body and act not immediately.

Crystal is of several kinds.

• Mountain. One of the most beautiful species is quartz of natural origin. Very appreciated for the strength, brilliance, sophistication. From rock crystal do not only the dishes. It is also the material for the manufacture of elegant jewelry, lenses, decor items.
• Lead. As already mentioned, produced a similar type of material in England.Practically not subject to destruction, such crystal can not be destroyed even by alcohol or alkaline mixtures.
• Barium. Such material is almost completely analogous to lead, but lead itself is replaced here with barium.
• Bohemian. In this form of lead crystal is not, it is nothing like calcium glass. One of the most expensive types of material.

If the composition contains cobalt, the dishes will turn blue, silicon pink, manganese purple, cadmium red. As for the harm from such dishes, it is only theoretical. The additives used for color are harmful, but they are too small to deal a significant health blow. Nevertheless, it is better to consume food from such dishes within a few hours.

To date, the choice of crystal dishes is quite wide. As a rule, in the shops you can find beautiful salad bowls, candy dishes, bowls, jugs, dishes, napkin holders, plates, tea pairs. But the championship belongs to all the same glasses.

To choose, indeed, good dishes, you should consider a few nuances.

• Crystal - It is a material containing more than 10% lead, and the larger the index, the better. You can see the contents on the tableware label. Of course, the higher the percentage, the more expensive the purchase.
• Check the product for light. Quality material will play with all the colors of the rainbow. In addition, you will not see turbid specks or air bubbles inside the selected product. If such flaws are present, then it is a fake.
• Spoon the dishware lightly. There should be a clear, crystal chime.
• Sharp, rough edges on a quality product can not be. In addition, the dishes will be heavy.

To make dishes of noble material serve as long as possible, It is necessary to adhere to several rules of care:

• Crystal wash only with cool water;
• when pouring or putting hot dishes in a container, put the container on a wooden stand;
• products do not stack one into another;
• none of the varieties of such dishes are not washed in the dishwasher;
• crystal products should not be heated in a microwave or oven;
• After washing, wipe the accessories gently with soft cloths or a towel.

Crystal is a material that is able to lose its original appearance over time. There are many reasons for this, but the most common are usually associated with improper care. In preparing for the holiday, many housewives are trying to make the dishes look as if they had just been bought. Fortunately, if we talk about crystal, then there are many methods of how to return it to its former beauty.

• Potatoes. This method will allow to remove fat from dishes, especially it is applicable to patterned products with many hard-to-reach places. In addition, the potato copes with the hated yellowness on the products. Boil some potatoes, then let the water cool. When the liquid becomes barely warm, immerse the dishes in it and hold it there for 10 minutes. After that, it will only remain easy to rinse the product. You can use the second method: grate boiled potatoes on a grater and put the mixture on the problem areas. After 15 minutes, rinse the dishes.
• Washing. If time allows, and you need to wash the dishes so that it glistens, use glass cleaners. Thus, you can clean well tea pairs, plates, wine glasses. Take a plastic bowl, place a soft towel on the bottom. Then fill with a small amount of water and add the selected product, fold the dishes. After several hours, the products are removed, rinsed and dried.If you want to achieve the perfect shine, rinse your devices with water and lemon juice.
• Ammonia. One of the easiest methods. Again, you will need a wash with a towel, but instead of washing, put a couple of drops of liquid ammonia into the water. After a few minutes, the dishes can be pulled out, rinsed and carefully rubbed.

Finally, we will give some useful tips that are recommended to be observed when cleaning products from crystal.

• Contrary to popular belief, this material can not be cleaned with soda and sand, as well as other powder compositions. These elements are able to leave such scratches that they can not be removed by any available method.
• When washing your glasses, take them by the feet. This will allow the product not to crack. It was also noted that when cleaning in the basin at the bottom of the container should be a towel.
• If there is gilding on the dishes, it is washed with water with a little vinegar added.
• If you wish to simply wipe the product, use a lint-free material for this.

As you can see, to care for products from crystal is not too difficult, the main thing is to follow a few rules. Perhaps such dishes do not have such huge popularity as before, but it still remains a frequent “guest” at festive tables and banquets due to its exquisite appearance, beautiful modulations and the ability to change the taste of dishes for the better.

How to clean the crystal at home, see in the video.