News flash: Winter is a great time to tackle nagging housekeeping chores and to get busy work done around the house! Okay, so that's not earth-shattering news...
Following the busy-ness of the holidays, when the weather is too chilly or drippy to feel like doing much else, I enjoy completing tasks that don't require much mental or physical exersion, or time for that matter. Things I've been meaning to get to for some time but always get pushed to the back burner. Getting these types of chores done helps ease into this new year thing nice and easy!
Along the lines of last week's topic of vision and being able to see clearly (or sea - that'll make sense in just a moment!), this week I'm tackling two of those dark-days-of-winter jobs. Both tasks focus on glass and both are as non-taxing, yet productive and rewarding, as they come!
Last year, my family and I traveled to beautiful Westport, California on vacation. While there we gathered colorful sea glass. Once home, I had every intention of sorting our tiny souvenirs from the sea, then to display them in clear glass spice jars. However, as time passed our treasure just sat in zip-locks, shoved into the back of a cabinet. Not exactly forgotten but not given the place of honor I'd intended either.
Finally, check that one off my list! Cobalt blue, amber, green and frosted sea glass; bits of abalone shell (also known as "mother of pearl"), sorted and waiting to be placed on a sunny window sill to let their colors shine! You can see how rare cobalt blue sea glass is, in Westport and Fort Bragg, anyway. We were told red and violet are exceedingly rare. We found neither one - a great excuse to go back!
Before...
Another task I had put off was dealing with my cloudy glassware. No matter what dishwasher rinse agent I tried or cycle I used to wash them, they always seemed to have a filmy haze. The glasses were clean and in otherwise good shape but they really looked awful.
At Christmas this year I cringed when I served wine in wineglasses that were foggier than my brain before I've had my tea in the morning! Years of hard water and minerals had really taken a toll on them. I needed Madge to tell me what to do (remember Madge from the old Palmolive commercials? I'm really dating myself here).
I thought I'd have to throw my glasses away which seemed wasteful but I found an old-fashioned simple solution. Like many other times, it's good to look back before going forward. Nothing fancy or expensive to buy, using stuff you may even have in your cupboard, just an old-fashioned method that's our grandmothers swore by.
~What You'll Need~
1 Tbs.Dish Soap
2 Tbs. Baking Soda
1/2 C. Distilled White Vinegar
Rubber Gloves
Soft Scrubbing Sponge
Dishpan
Bowl
Paper Towels
~What You'll Do~
1. Place dish soap and baking soda into a dishpan, filling with very hot water.
2. Swirl water to mix, adding glassware. Allow to soak for a couple of minutes.
3. Scrub gently using the sponge.
4. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Rinse clean glasses in the cold water. Allow glasses to dry naturally.
5. Once dry, polish the glasses with a vinegar dampened paper towel. Don't worry about the scent of the vinegar lingering as it evaporates after a half an hour of so.
*Tip: If there are superficial scratches on your glasses, try a tiny dot of toothpaste to buff them away.
Pour yourself an iced tea or glass of wine to celebrate your sparkling clean glasses!
Please note: this technique is for run-of-the-mill glassware, not your great-grandmother's crystal. I figured my glasses couldn't look any worse but always test your glass surface before proceeding.
Voila...
Ahhh, I know you're not supposed to sweat this small stuff but seriously I feel so much better. The Queen of England herself could come for a visit now and my glasses would be ready!
What tasks are on your to-do list for these wintry days?
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