How to clean glass vases inside and out

Glass vases are always lovely with freshly-cut flowers in them. After a few days, however, those flowers may leave a scummy ring on the inside of your vase, while other vases become cloudy from a build-up of mineral deposits in your water. Cleaning glass vases may seem daunting, as you can find yourself creating more smudges than you fix, but never fear: here’s a guide on how to clean a vase both inside and out.

You will need:

• Brush
• Newspaper
• Glass cleaner
• Warm water
• Effervescent denture-cleaning tablets
• Baking soda
• White distilled vinegar
• Rice
• Warm, soapy water
• Lemon
• Salt

How to clean glass vases: Inside

1. A targeted glass cleaner

   If you’re wondering how to clean a glass that is cloudy, scummy or smudgy, this is the easiest way to clean it inside and out. Choose a spray, so that you can simply spritz the product directly into the bottom. Leave for a minute or so, then wipe. Whatever product you use, be sure to check the label first and follow any instructions. Find out more about cleaning glassware here.

2. Effervescent denture-cleaning tablets

   You can buy these from most chemists or supermarkets. Fill your vase with warm water up past any rings or limescale deposits, and drop in one or two effervescent tablets. These should fizz and work away at the interior of your vase, leaving it sparkling clean. Use a bottlebrush to scrub the vase walls clean of any remaining deposits. 

3. Baking soda and vinegar

   This is another great fizzy solution. Fill your vase with warm water, add in a tablespoon or two of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda), and add some white distilled vinegar. Immediately, this will start fizzing and eating away any mineral deposits. Scrub with a brush if necessary, but don’t lean too close to the fizzing – you don’t want the vinegar to splash into your eyes.

4. Salt and vinegar paste

   Take one to two tablespoons of salt and mix in vinegar to create a paste. Use a brush or wooden spoon to spread the paste on any scummy rings or mineral deposits inside your vase. Let this sit for 15-30 minutes, and then scrub off.

How to clean glass vases: Outside

1. Glass cleaner

   As before, this is the quickest and easiest way to clean vases. Just spray on and wipe off: simple! You’ll also find the results much less pungent than vases cleaned with vinegar (see below).

2. Vinegar

   Vinegar is a very effective solvent, and adding it to your cleaning regime will add a sparkle to your vases and glassware. Spray the outside of your vase with a solution of vinegar and warm water, and air-dry before polishing.

3. Lemon

   The acid in lemon juice also works to eat away at any deposits. Cut a lemon and rub the exposed flesh over the outside of your vase. Or mix a paste of lemon juice and salt, and rub this on the outside of your vase. Rinse thoroughly with hot water – leftover lemon juice will be sticky and attract dust.

4. Buffing with crumpled newspaper

   After rinsing the vases, you can wipe them dry with wads of crumpled newspaper. Then use fresh crumpled newspapers for a final polish. For a quick polish, dip crumpled newspapers in a warm vinegar-water solution, or spritz on a cleaner, and use the paper on the exterior of your vase. Repeat with dry newspapers.

With these tips, you no longer need to wonder how to clean a glass vase that is cloudy. Cloudy vases, scummy vases, vases in need of a simple, quick polish — the suggestions above will leave them all sparkling like new.