GEARYS Frequently Asked Questions

How do I care for my Crystal Stemware?

Cleaning:

We recommend that you hand-wash your fine crystal one piece at a time in moderately hot water with a mild detergent. Follow by rinsing in clean warm water, and air dry on a rack with a soft lint-free cloth.

However, it is safe to wash your fine crystal in an automatic dishwasher as long as you load it with the glassware fully secured and placed so that they do not touch each other. Lower the top rack, if possible, to accommodate the height of tall pieces. Use a “short cycle” or “Fine Glassware and China” setting and “air-dry only” cycle, together with a mild detergent specially made for fine crystal of fine china. To prevent cracking or breaking caused by extreme temperature do not pour cold liquids into crystal that has just been washed in hot water and always allow chilled crystal to reach room temperature before washing. Do not use scouring pads or abrasive cleansers, as they will permanently scratch the surface of the crystal. Never wash or dry stemware by placing a sponge or rag in the bowl of the glass and then twisting the bowl and the stem in opposite directions - this can result in breakage.

Storing Stemware

Stemware should always be stored upright (standing on its foot) to help prevent chipping the rims. Be sure to allow enough room between each glass to avoid touching - this will help prevent chipping on the rims.

Extreme Heat & Cold

To prevent cracking or breaking caused by extreme temperature do not pour cold liquids into crystal that has just been washed in hot water and always allow chilled crystal to reach room temperature before washing. – Never put lead crystal items in the microwave as it can damage the crystal as well as the microwave.

How do I care for my Crystal Giftware?

Cleaning

Crystal giftware should always be cleaned by hand one piece at a time using moderately hot water and mild detergent. Cleaned pieces should be dried using a soft lint free cloth.

Hard Water

In hard water areas, deposits may form on your crystal over a period of time if water is allowed to dry on the pieces. This is most likely in Crystal vases and bowls in which water is kept for a long period of time. These soluble deposits can easily be removed with a dilute acid such as vinegar. In extreme cases, filling the vase or bowl with water and allowing a denture cleaning tablet such as Efferdent to dissolve in the water can be helpful.

Extreme Heat & Cold

Unless specified, Crystal giftware is not tempered and cannot withstand extreme heat or cold without breaking. This means that when burning candles in crystal candlesticks, the candle cannot be allowed to burn all the way down. Candles must be extinguished at least a half an inch before they reach the top of the candlestick to avoid breaking the crystal. Votives should always be used with the appropriate votive candle or tea light to avoid cracking.

How do I care for my Dinnerware?

Durability:

Most fine bone china and porcelain is produced using extreme firing temperatures. This high fire creates a finished product that can withstand the abrasion caused by regular use and whose decoration is resistant to the attack of acids, alkalis, and other substances present in the foods.

Fine Dinnerware is made to be used, not to be stored away!

Storing Your Dinnerware:

Materials of equal hardness will scratch one another – a diamond will scratch another diamond. When plates or cups are stacked together, the back of one item may scratch the front of another. Ideally, they should be stacked with paper separators between them, and plates should not be slid out from the bottom of a stack – always lift them out.

Washing By Hand:

Normal dish washing products used in hand hot water will not harm your dinnerware. Teapot and coffeepot stains can be removed with borax, and toothpaste will remove “pencil marks” left of plates caused by minute deposits of metal from cutlery. Abrasives and harsh scourers should not be used on your bone china dinnerware.

Washing Your Dinnerware in a Dishwasher:

In most cases it is perfectly safe to wash your dinnerware in an automatic dishwasher. Load the washer so that pieces do not touch each other, to avoid the risk of scratching. Do not overload. A wash using a “short wash” or “china and crystal” cycle is sufficient for normal cleaning. As soon as the wash has drained away, there should be an immediate rinse cycle to flush away deposits of detergent, which will form a film if allowed to dry.  Do not use a “heat dry” cycle as this may harm gold and platinum trims. In addition, it is best to avoid detergents with lemon additives or scents.

Hard Water:

In hard water areas, deposits may form on your dinnerware over a period of time if water is allowed to dry on the pieces. These soluble deposits can easily be removed with a dilute acid such as vinegar.

Warming Your Dinnerware:

In most cases it is perfectly safe to warm your dinnerware in the warming compartment of your oven up to 150°F. However, it should never be exposed to direct heart from the naked flame or to rapid changes of temperature.

Microwave Cooking:

Dinnerware with gold or platinum decoration or trim cannot be used in microwave ovens. Precious metal decorations are damaged by the action of microwave ovens and will also harm the microwave. However, it is safe to use dinnerware that does not have precious metals in the microwave

How do I care for my Flatware?

General Care:

The proper care and cleaning of silver, keeping it at its best, is a simple common sense matter.

Use your silver as often as possible. Things used frequently need the least care. Moreover, the multitude of tiny, almost imperceptible scratches that appear on silver in frequent use eventually merge and form a soft, mellow and desirable finish called the “patina”.

Though technically silver is “dishwasher proof” and not likely to be harmed by the action of an automatic dishwasher, we recommend that it be washed by hand in hot sudsy water as soon as possible after use, rinsed well in clear hot water, immediately dried thoroughly and kept absolutely dry. Silverware, especially knives should never be left to soak in water or dry by itself. This prevents water spotting and, while many silver makers solder the knife blade to the handle, certain other makers simply cement blade and handle together. Therefore soaking the knives may cause the handles to loosen.

Knives do need special attention to protect the blades from staining and pitting. Most blades are made of stainless steel, and are subject under certain conditions to discoloration and corrosion (pitting). This does not mean that the steel is defective.

Stainless steel, as well as sterling silver itself, is subject to the corrosive effect of mild food acids such as found in vinegar, fruit juices, cooked vegetables, mustard, egg yolk and common table salt. Hydrogen sulfide gas, present in the air of most cities, will cause staining when accompanied by any form of moisture. Detergents will cause this, too. A stained knife blade may be improved by polishing, but a new blade is the only remedy for a badly pitted one.

So again, the best form of care is to hand wash your silver, especially your knives right after use, drying thoroughly and storing in a place free of moisture.

Polishing Silver:

Use any reputable commercial silver polish of known quality. Some “dip” polishes contain harsh chemicals and should be avoided. Electrolytic cleaning (using aluminum foil), salt and baking soda in a water basin is not recommended.

First, wash the silver in hot sudsy water, using a soft cloth. Apply the polish according to the maker’s instructions, using a soft cloth or the sponge usually provided. Rub each piece gently but firmly lengthwise, using straight, even strokes, across the “grain” of the silver. Use a small brush (a toothbrush with natural bristles works best) for decorative trim and borders. Wash again in hot sudsy water removing all the polish. Rinse well in hot water, dry thoroughly and buff gently with a soft cloth. While buffing, it pays to wear cotton gloves to prevent finger smudges on the freshly polished surface.

An “oxidized” finish is the deliberate blackening of crevices of the ornamentation of a silver object to make its decorative details, stand out more clearly. Take care in cleaning such articles as this finish can be removed by over-zealous polishing.

Vermeil, meaning gilt of gold plated with 23.5 carat gold achieved by an electrolytic process, which bonds the gold onto the silver, should not be polished as above: it requires only washing with mild soap and water, then drying with a soft cloth.

Storing Silver:

Once cleaned and polished, silver must be kept dry and away from air. Wrap or store it in specially treated tarnish-proof bags, non-tarnishing paper tissues or in plastic bags. Flannel bags will protect silver from abrasion, and because their weave is tight, they do offer a degree of tarnish prevention. Bags made of “Pacific” cloth, a soft material impregnated with minute particles of silver, are effective in preventing tarnish. When storing knives in flannel rolls, be sure they are absolutely dry. If the climate is humid, place a small packet of de-moisturizing crystals (e.g. mothballs) inside the roll. Do not use plastic food wrap because it is ineffective. And do not use rubber bands to secure wrapped silver: the sulfur in the rubber and most paper causes tarnishing and corrosion.