To extend the life and enjoyment of your Zalto glassware, we have compiled our top essential glass care tips and practical advice.
First and foremost, do not let wine sit in wine glasses or decanters overnight. Doing so, will corrode and stain the glassware over time. If glasses are not to be washed immediately after use, put a small amount of water in each glass to prevent etching and staining.
Less is more when it comes to detergent and water temperature. Washing temperatures should always be less than 60°C (170°F). Use an eco-friendly, phosphate-free detergent to avoid corrosion and cloudiness and always rinse before washing; use ⅓ to ½ of the prescribed detergent amounts.
Both machine cleaning and gentle hand washing are suitable for Zalto glassware. We recognise the reluctance to put Zalto in the dishwasher, however machine washing eliminates manual washing and polishing; the most frequent cause of glass breakage, and might we add, tears.
If you clean glassware often or frequently entertain, we recommend using a glass rack in your dishwasher. Glass racks can be sourced from the machine manufacturer or a restaurant supply company. As many racks have fixed compartments, be sure your glass comfortably fits the rack before purchase. The fit should be snug without touching the sides and have a small amount of movement; never force a glass to fit.
Machine Washing
For top performance, regularly clean, de-scale and sanitise your machine.
Allocate an area to place glasses safely, without touching other items.
Load glassware last to avoid mishaps.
Rinse all dishes prior to loading to minimise grease and tannin stain residue in the cycle.
Select an optimal wash setting and temperature <60°C.
Avoid tablets. Use an eco-friendly, phosphate-free, powdered detergent and go easy on the suds.
Rinse aid is a must. We recommend Crystal Clean Rinse Aid, as it is simply the best we have found, and eco-friendly.
After the wash cycle is complete.
Avoid letting glassware dry with pooled water on base or bowl lip, as it can leave watermarks.
Lift glassware by stem and lightly dry the base and lip of the glassware with a lint free, glass polishing cloth.
Avoid torque. Keep a light touch when polishing and always rotate the stem base and bowl in the same direction.
Always store glassware upright, never upside down, to prevent chipping the bowl lip edge.
Hand Washing
When washing by hand, it's important to create a sufficiently sized, and cleared bench space in advance. Lay a tea towel down to place the glasses on after washing.
Remove any jewellery that could damage the glass and wear dish gloves with a high grip factor to avoid slips.
Water temperature should be warm (<60°C), NOT hot for both washing, and rinsing. Never use boiling water.
Wash with a soft cloth in warm water with a small amount of eco-friendly detergent and a drop of rinse aid.
Whilst cleaning the bowl, gently hold the glass stem between the middle and index finger, supporting the bowl with the palm of the hand. Avoid placing pressure on the inside of the glass, especially if using a wash cloth.
Continue to hold the glass by the stem to gently wash the base. Rinse in clear, warm water to remove all detergent residue.
Drying & Polishing Zalto Stemware
In all high-quality wine glasses, regardless of marque, the stem is one of the most sensitive parts.
It is imperative to always rotate the bowl and the base in the same direction, to avoid torque and snapping the stem.
To dry, place the glass on a tea towel and use a lint-free glass polishing cloth. Allow glasses to cool before drying.
Polish the base first. Holding the glass by the stem, drape the cloth over the other hand, using the thumb and index finger to gently dry and polish.
To polish the bowl, dry from the inside out. Hold the glass by the stem, near the base. With the polishing cloth draped over one hand, gently dry the inside of the glass, followed by the rim and then the outside of the bowl, removing any last remnants of water and fingerprints.
To polish glassware like the pros, watch the video demonstration by our colleague Aldo Sohm, Wine Director at Le Bernardin by Eric Ripert and Sohm Bar, both in New York City. Aldo is also the Zalto Ambassador in the USA, a consumate professional, and good friend.
Cleaning Decanters & Carafes
Decanters and carafes tend to build up deposits that are very difficult to remove, especially in curvaceous shapes and corners.
To prevent staining, never let wine sit in a decanter overnight, after use. Always rinse with water and clean the next day.
Wash the decanter with a small amount of eco-friendly, phosphate-free detergent and a drop of rinse aid dissolved in warm water, 60°C or less. Gently swirl.
A soft decanter brush can be used to gently reach difficult areas of the decanter and to help remove stains. Wash the exterior with a soft cloth. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.
Place the decanter on a tea towel and lightly dry the exterior.
We recommend using a decanter stand for internal drying. Whilst the decanter is elevated and upside down on the stand, periodically dry the interior of the decanter mouth as the water gravitates out; doing so will prevent potential water stains.
Useful Glass Facts
Glass is composed of three main ingredients; silica sand (silicon dioxide SiO2), soda ash (sodium carbonate Na2CO3) and lime (calcium carbonate CaCO3). Silica represents 70-74% of the weight of modern glass and has varying quality and purity levels. Silica sand for glassmaking must have at least 95% SiO2 and less than 0.6% iron oxide.
The purest silica sand is sourced for fine glassware, like Zalto and for products requiring optimal vision and durability, such as optical lenses and vehicle windshields. Only 1% of the 50 billion tonnes of sand extracted annually, meet the required standards for glassmaking.
When caring for glassware, please bear in mind that all glass is subject to corrosion. Transparent glass is a prematurely solidified glass melt that has yet to form complete crystalline structures, thus glass contains alkaline ions that over time, will rise to the surface, causing irreversible cloudiness, or turbidity.
However there is a distinction between reversible and irreversible damage. Irreversible are those caused by softened hard water calcium deposits that etch the glass creating a silica film or by using abrasive, high phosphate detergents. Such damage can be avoided altogether by using minimal, phosphate-free detergent, and using specific cleaning products for soft water conditions.
Modern glass manufacturing methods have been developed to prevent or at least slow the process of clouding; with a few exceptions, most modern glassware, including Zalto, are suitable for dishwasher cleaning. However, all glass ages and will become more fragile over time. Antique, vintage, engraved and coloured glassware is often leaded crystal glass and is not suitable for machine cleaning. We recommend hand washing these types of glass.
Photo Credits:
Zalto Denk'Art Glas, Austria
Aldo Sohm, NYC