How to Clean and Maintain Glassware and Ceramics

Quick answer

Hand-wash glassware and ceramics in warm water with a mild dish soap, using a soft sponge and a dedicated drying cloth. Skip the dishwasher for handmade or glazed pieces, avoid sudden temperature changes, and store items with a little breathing room. That routine prevents most cloudiness, chipping, and glaze damage.

Glassware and ceramics reward a little patience. Most damage does not come from heavy use; it comes from hot water on a cold glass, a stacked bowl, or a dishwasher cycle that is too aggressive for a handmade glaze. A five-minute hand-wash routine solves almost all of it.

This guide walks through the order that works: clear the sink, choose the right soap and tools, wash in the right sequence, dry properly, and store pieces so they stay chip-free. It also covers what to do when a glaze dulls or a glass clouds, and which pieces should never see the inside of a dishwasher.

Set up a safe washing station

Start by clearing the sink and lining the bottom with a rubber mat or a folded towel. That single step prevents most chips, because the real danger is a piece knocking against the basin or another item while you wash. Fill the sink with warm, not hot, water and add a small amount of mild dish soap. Very hot water is the enemy of both handmade glass and glazed stoneware, especially if the piece has been sitting in a cold room.

Keep a soft sponge, a bottle brush for narrow necks, and a separate drying cloth within reach. Do not use scouring pads, steel wool, or abrasive powders on glass or glaze. If a piece has a stubborn residue, let it soak in warm soapy water for ten minutes rather than scrubbing harder.

• Line the sink before you add water, not after.
• Use warm water, never boiling water straight from the kettle.
• Keep a dedicated soft sponge for glass and glaze only.

Wash in the right order

Wash the cleanest items first: glasses, then jugs and pitchers, then plates and bowls, and finally any greasy cookware. This order keeps oily water from coating glass and leaving a film. For glasses, hold the bowl rather than the stem or rim, and use your fingers or a soft sponge inside and out. For ceramics, pay attention to the foot ring and the underside of the rim, where residue collects.

If a piece is hand-painted, gold-rimmed, or has a matte glaze, treat it as delicate. Wash it on its own with minimal soap and no soaking. When in doubt about a finish, hand-wash only. Dishwashers vary widely in temperature and detergent strength, and a single cycle can dull a glaze or fade a decoration permanently.

• Wash glasses before plates so the water stays clean.
• Hold the bowl, not the rim, to avoid stress cracks.
• Hand-wash anything with gold, paint, or a matte finish.

Rinse, dry, and avoid water spots

Rinse in warm water, then dry immediately with a clean, lint-free cloth. Air-drying is convenient but leaves mineral spots, especially on glass, and those spots become harder to remove over time. If you have hard water, a final rinse with a splash of white vinegar in cool water helps, but do not soak glazed ceramics in vinegar for long periods.

For stemware, dry the bowl first and then the stem, holding the bowl rather than twisting the stem. For ceramics, dry the foot ring thoroughly before putting the piece away; trapped moisture under a bowl can leave a ring mark on a shelf and encourage mildew in a closed cabinet.

• Dry glass immediately to prevent cloudiness.
• Use a separate cloth for glass and for ceramics.
• Never store a piece while it is still damp.

Store pieces so they stay chip-free

Store glasses upright with a little space between them, or hang them if you have the room. Stacking glasses rim-to-foot is a common cause of hairline cracks. For ceramics, stack only pieces that are designed to stack, and place a felt pad or a paper napkin between bowls. The Otto Ceramic Jug is explicitly stackable, which makes it a practical choice for tight cabinets, but most handmade ceramics are not.

In drawers, use dividers or a rolled towel to keep plates from sliding. If you live in a humid climate, leave cabinet doors slightly ajar for a few hours after washing to let air circulate. Avoid storing heavy cast-iron or metal items directly on top of glazed ceramics; metal can leave gray marks that are difficult to remove.

• Do not stack glasses rim-to-foot.
• Use felt pads between stacked bowls and plates.
• Keep metal away from glazed surfaces in storage.

Handle stains, cloudiness, and dull glazes

For tea or coffee stains inside a ceramic cup, make a paste of baking soda and water, apply it with a soft cloth, and rinse well. For cloudy glass, a short soak in warm water with a little white vinegar often helps, but etching from repeated dishwasher use is permanent. If a glaze looks dull, the cause is usually abrasive detergent or very hot water; there is no reliable way to restore it, so prevention is the only fix.

Metal marks on ceramics, often from cutlery, can sometimes be lifted with a gentle cream cleanser and a soft cloth. Test on an inconspicuous area first. Never use oven cleaner, bleach, or chlorine-based products on handmade glass or glazed stoneware unless the maker explicitly says it is safe.

• Baking soda paste lifts most tea and coffee stains.
• Vinegar helps mineral film but will not fix etched glass.
• Test any cleaner on the underside first.

The five-step care routine

1. Step 1: Clear and line the sink: Remove anything sharp or metal, then lay a rubber mat or folded towel on the bottom of the sink. Fill with warm water and a small amount of mild dish soap. Checkpoint: if the water is too hot for your hands, it is too hot for handmade glass and glaze.
2. Step 2: Wash in order, most delicate first: Wash glasses, then jugs, then plates and bowls. Hold glass by the bowl, not the rim. Use a soft sponge and a bottle brush for narrow necks. Mistake to avoid: scrubbing a stubborn spot with an abrasive pad, which scratches glaze and dulls glass.
3. Step 3: Rinse warm and dry immediately: Rinse in warm water and dry with a clean, lint-free cloth. Dry the foot ring of ceramics and the stem of glassware thoroughly before storing. Checkpoint: no visible water spots or damp patches before the piece goes back in the cabinet.
4. Step 4: Store with breathing room: Do not stack glasses rim-to-foot. Use felt pads or napkins between stacked bowls. Keep metal items from resting directly on glazed surfaces. Mistake to avoid: overcrowding a shelf, which is the most common cause of chips you notice only later.
5. Step 5: Treat stains early: Use a baking soda paste for tea and coffee stains, and a short warm vinegar soak for mineral film on glass. Test any cleaner on the underside first. If a glaze is already dull or glass is etched, the damage is permanent; focus on prevention from here on.

Product facts that affect care

• 0405 Glass Set of Two | Clear: Designed by Copenhagen-based Studio 0405, the 0405 Medium Glass is expertly handcrafted in Europe by a glassblower and shaped to create a tactile experience. Handcrafted glass is more sensitive to thermal shock and abrasive detergents than machine-made glass, so hand-wash in warm water and dry immediately.
• Otto Ceramic Jug | Black | Medium: The Otto Ceramic Jug is made in Europe by ceramicists using delicate, custom glazes. Stackable and featuring a timeless shape with a matte black glaze, this medium stoneware jug serves as a beverage dispenser or pitcher. Matte glazes show water spots and scratches more readily than glossy ones, so dry the jug fully after washing, and stack it only as intended.
• Shampoo | Apothecary | 375 mL: FRAMA’s natural Apothecary Shampoo has been crafted to thoroughly cleanse, moisturize, and balance the scalp and hair without drying or stripping. The same mild-soap principle applies in the sink: a gentle formula cleans without stripping a finish, which is exactly what you want for delicate glass and glaze.

A consistent five-minute hand-wash and a little care in storage will keep glassware clear and ceramics looking new for years. Treat the routine as part of using the pieces, not a chore after them.