How do you clean the glass menorah cups?

amother

OP ↓

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 2:48 pm

Whats your method?
I never know what Im doing.
Some are blackened and some are just really greasy.
Also what about if your men light directly in the (silver) menorah. How do you clean in there?

613mitzvahgirl ↓

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 3:11 pm

With my husband and boys I soak the glass cups in hot water and blue dawn dish soap for about 30 minutes. Then I dry it using microfiber cloths. You can dry it right away. They come out looking brand new.

amother

Cyclamen

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 3:16 pm

Simple warm water and sponge gets rud of wax . Windex and shmata does rest of job.
From experience soaking doesnt help hist makes bigger mess and takes more time

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 3:16 pm

613mitzvahgirl wrote:

Does I have to be Dawn? I have other brands. Will it work?

amother

↑ OP

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 3:17 pm

amother Cyclamen wrote:

Simple warm water and sponge gets rud of wax . Windex and shmata does rest of job.
From experience soaking doesnt help hist makes bigger mess and takes more time

Water and sponge only? No soap?

amother

Natural ↓

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 3:20 pm

I used a type of steel wool to get the black off the glasses - do not use on silver!!!!
Soaking did nothing other than got the oil residue off

↑ 613mitzvahgirl

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 3:21 pm

I Think green palm olive will work as well as any other degreasers that you’ve been using for dishes should work, but I’m not sure. Hatzlocha

Wolfsbane

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 3:40 pm

I use steel wool on the cups after soaking in soap and water, but gently, and I use the kind with thick fibers so you can untangle a bit and stick it into the oils cup with your finger.

Like this kind: https://www.target.com/p/uniqu.....metab

tweety1

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 3:41 pm

I stopped. I throw them away and buy new ones. My sil told me last year she does it and I loved the idea. Glasses aren't expensive. It's not worth the hassle.

Bnei Berak 10

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 3:47 pm

tweety1 wrote:

I stopped. I throw them away and buy new ones. My sil told me last year she does it and I loved the idea. Glasses aren't expensive. It's not worth the hassle.

And what if there is a COVID situation and no import or export and you cant get glass cups? Just saying...
I don't mind if one wants to toss.

amother

↑ Natural

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 3:57 pm

tweety1 wrote:

I stopped. I throw them away and buy new ones. My sil told me last year she does it and I loved the idea. Glasses aren't expensive. It's not worth the hassle.

Can’t always get the size I need! I learnt that the hard way and keep them.

Raizle

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 4:12 pm

If you use those metal tubes with the base that you thread the wicks through, (the waxed wicks are easiest) then they don't blacken the glass because they stay in the middle of the cup. The only blackened glass I had was with the Shamash. I even had the Shamash flame break a glass

amother

Carnation

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 7:16 pm

I learned on this site to use the dishwasher. If you have one. You might lose one or two but they come out sparkling

amother

Sienna

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 7:31 pm

amother Carnation wrote:

I learned on this site to use the dishwasher. If you have one. You might lose one or two but they come out sparkling

Yes, I put them in the dishwasher on the top rack with a clean frying pan on top of it to make sure they don't fly around. Occasionally we need to put 2 or 3 in for a second cycle if there were bad black stains.

amother

Celeste

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 7:34 pm

Soak in hot soapy water and scrub with metal sponge.
It's a big job but worth it for me. I have 5 oil menorahs, I can't buy glasses every year.

Elfrida

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 7:43 pm

Put them in a bowl, and add dish soap. Then pour boiling water over them. Wait ten minutes or so, until its cool enough to handle, then clean with a sponge and rinse off.

We use the little sticks which hold the wick upright in the centre, and the the glasses never get black. I wash the sticks together with the glasses. They remain a bit black around the top, buy aesthetically that doesn't bother me. Every few years the black stuff builds up to the point where it's hard to get the wicks in, and then I replace them.

A few years ago I bought a set on miniature beer mugs to use for the chanukiyah, just because it looks fun and a bit different to the regular cups. A side benefit is that they are much more sturdy and easier to wash.