5 tips to keep your dishes sparkling

Whether it's the dishes you use every day or items you use only for special occasions, you can keep your dishes looking bright and new with these tips.

Prevent spotting on glass pitchers, candlesticks, drinking glasses and any other everyday or special occasion glassware.

• Soak a piece for three to four minutes in a bath of 7.8 litres (two gallons) of water and 125 millilitres (0.5 cup) of white vinegar.
• Shake off any water droplets and then dry and polish the piece with a clean soft cloth.

When you store your treasured china teapot at the back of a cabinet for a long time, chances are it will be banged by the dishes up front at some point. To protect the spout, you have a couple of options:

• Slip a toilet paper tube over it and secure the tube with masking tape.
• Or, sheathe the spout with the thumb from an old leather glove or thick mitten.

You'll also want to use one of these when you're packing the teapot for a move.

Though drinking glasses, mugs and everyday dishes might look clean after a washing, they could still be covered with a thin film of grease, invisible to the naked eye. See for yourself.

• Make a thin paste of baking soda and water.
• Dip a sponge into it and rub the glass or china surface well.
• Rinse, then dry with a soft cloth.

Your dishes may sparkle as never before and even feel different to the touch.

If residue dries inside a crystal pitcher that won't tolerate hard scrubbing without being scratched, try this:

• Fill it with a mixture of two parts strong black tea and one part white vinegar.
• Let it sit overnight.
• Discard the solution and wash the pitcher with a soft cloth dipped in soapy water.

If you have deeply etched crystal, use an old-fashioned shaving brush or large makeup brush to work soapy water into the ridges and crevices at cleaning time. These brushes are rigid enough to root out dirt without scratching the crystal. To rinse, hold the piece under running water.

Your friends will think your dishes, glasses and crystal are brand new when you bring out their natural shine with these easy homemade cleaning solutions.