EBay, Collectors, Flea Market & Antiques

Paper Roses

(7,506 posts) Fri Mar 13, 2015, 09:27 AM Mar 2015

Sick glass? Maybe this will work for you.

I never had any luck curing sick glass. Tried everything I could think of through the years.
Two weeks ago, as I poked through the 'free' box at a local thrift shop, I found a cut glass decanter. The glass was is great shape but very sick. Rather than let it get chipped or broken, I took it.
Since over the years I have tried almost everything in my supply of cleaning stuff, I decide to do a quick test with a product I recently bought at "Dollar Tree". Nothing to lose. My purchase was for other reasons but I thought I'd give this a try.

The spray is called "Limax" and cost a dollar.

I washed the exterior, and followed the instructions on the bottle for general use but did the following:

I sprayed the inside of the decanter generously with the product, enough to make a good size puddle on the bottom, rotated the decanter to cover all surfaces, then added about a quarter cup of raw long grain rice. Needed to have some kind of mild abrasive to help scrub.
The instructions for use on regular items calls for the product to sit for 20 to 30 seconds.

I immediately started to shake and swirl the rice around in the solution. I think I did this for about a minute. Not sure.

I then drained the solution onto a strainer(no raw rice should go into the disposal, and rinsed the bottle.
Since sometimes, sick glass looks good for a few days and when it dries, it looks horrible, I put the decanter aside. It has been two weeks and nothing has reappeared. It looks like new.

This may not work for things you have but for the dollar I spent, it is a big plus.

6 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Sick glass? Maybe this will work for you. (Original Post) Paper Roses Mar 2015 OP

Must be a close relative of 'Lime-Away' which will also clean old glass. sinkingfeeling Mar 2015 #1

Try denture tabs.... dixiegrrrrl Mar 2015 #2

For years I tried any and all products I could find for sick glass. Nothing worked Paper Roses Mar 2015 #4

possibly weak muriatic acid? mopinko Mar 2015 #3

I'll keep an eye out for that stuff. Vinca Mar 2015 #5

How to clean sick glass, sick glass to me is oxidation, corrosion of the glass itself. juxtaposed Mar 2015 #6

sinkingfeeling

(52,993 posts)

1. Must be a close relative of 'Lime-Away' which will also clean old glass.

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 09:37 AM

Mar 2015

Do you know of any thing to clean old rhinestone jewelry except alcohol?

dixiegrrrrl

(60,011 posts)

2. Try denture tabs....

Reply to sinkingfeeling (Reply #1)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 10:18 AM

Mar 2015

those things that dissolve in water and fizz to clean dentures. I use them for gunk in my flower vases.

Also, I hear good things about Coke Cola as a cleanser.

Paper Roses

(7,506 posts)

4. For years I tried any and all products I could find for sick glass. Nothing worked

Reply to dixiegrrrrl (Reply #2)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 10:58 AM

Mar 2015

Used both the Coke and denture cleaners. I bet I tried 20 different methods. This stuff I posted about was the only thing I have ever used that seemed to work.

What I encountered was dried hard deposits, not just recent residue. I guess all methods are trial and error. The Limax was the only thing that has ever worked for me. Cheap too!

mopinko

(71,813 posts)

3. possibly weak muriatic acid?

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 10:25 AM

Mar 2015

i think that is what is in lime away, also. you can get it at the hardware store for about $8/gallon.

good for cleaning a lot of things. used to clean brick and tile. great for grout haze.

Vinca

(51,041 posts)

5. I'll keep an eye out for that stuff.

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 11:54 AM

Mar 2015

I've been avoiding buying any "sick" glass which means occasionally passing up an otherwise decent piece of valuable glass. Thanks for the tip!

juxtaposed

(2,778 posts)

6. How to clean sick glass, sick glass to me is oxidation, corrosion of the glass itself.

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 06:52 PM

Mar 2015

Not lime or water deposits.

The only thing that I've found and use that works is "Whink" with Hydrofluoric Acid this is what many bottle collectors use as a last resort.
Hydrofluoric Acid will dissolve and etch the glass, so it should be experimented with on things that aren't worth anything.
A less invasive way is to use a tumbler with copper BB's.

10. STABILITY AND REACTIVITY

Stability Stable under recommended storage conditions

Incompatible Products Glass, concrete and other silicone materials. Carbonates, sulfides and cyanides (yields toxic
gases). Alkalies and oxides (cause violent exothermic reactions). Common metals (yield
Hydrogen Gas, fire and explosive reactive hazard). Corrosive to many materials (includes
leather and many organics). Water added to product yields heat and violent reaction.

Conditions to Avoid Moisture, humidity, heat, flame, ignition sources and incompatibles.

Hazardous Decomposition Products Emits sulfur oxide gases under fire conditions and in contact with water.

Hazardous Reactions Reacts violently with water, metals, alkalies, oxides, carbonates, sulfides, cyanides, glass,
concrete and other silicones.

Hazardous Polymerization Hazardous polymerization will not occur.

http://www.whink.com/cmssites/ws0811www.whink.com/uploads/Documents/Rust%20%20Stain%20Remover%201204031.pdf

This is something you follow the msds.

Reply to this discussion