Cleaning Decorative Glass Bottles

Decorative glass bottles can make beautiful decorations, but they can be difficult to clean due their unique shapes and long necks. Plus, many decorative glass bottles are used to hold flowers or other items that may leave a particularly stubborn residue. Here's how to clean decorative glass bottles:

1. Wash the exterior. In most cases, wash the exterior of the bottle as you would any other piece of glassware. However, some decorative bottles have a finish that will come off if you attempt to wash the bottle, so spot test it first. If the finish does prove susceptible to damage during the washing process, you should wrap a towel around the bottle and be careful when trying to wash the inside of the bottle.
2. Soak in water. Fill the glass bottles with warm water, and allow to sit for at least a few hours. Particularly if there is any sort of residue inside the bottle where you are unable to reach it, add a few drops of dish soap before filling the bottle with the water. Particularly if the bottle is a unique shape, shake it back and forth a few times to make sure the water can make it into all areas of the bottle.
3. Use a bottle brush. Once the residue is softened by the warm water, use a bottle brush to scrub the inside. Store-bought bottle brushes are long and skinny for reaching inside bottles, but you can also be creative and make your own by attaching a small sponge to the end of a stick. Reach as much of the inside of the bottle as you can using the brush. Use running water along with the bottle brush to clean the inside of the bottle.
4. Rinse. Once you have washed the bottle, fill it with clean water, just like you would if washing any other piece of glass. Shake to make sure that all areas of the bottle are rinsed clean. Otherwise, your decorative glass bottle may end up with water spots from soap remaining inside the bottle.
5. Dry. To prevent water spots, shake out as much water as you can from the bottle. If you can reach a paper inside the bottle, you should try to do so to soak up some of the water. If not, carefully prop the bottle upside down to allow the remaining water to drain towards the neck. Decorative glass bottles should be hand-washed, not placed in the dishwasher, because the dishwasher may be too harsh on them. Plus, the dishwasher is likely to leave residue behind because the water is unable to make it inside the bottle.

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