Cleaning the Inside of Bottles and Vases

Cleaning inside of bottles and thin vases can be a challenge. Sometimes tea, soda, or even plant stains can mar the highly visible insides of glass bottles and vases. Even though expensive brushes can be bought specifically for this kind of cleaning, sometimes it is just not enough, and it can be a hassle trying to reach into the stained part of the bottle. A much easier way to clean a narrow-necked bottle is to fill it with equal parts water and detergent or ammonia. Add some cleaned, uncooked rice and swirl the solution around until the bottle is clean. Although this can be done without the rice, the rice acts as an abrasive to help in the cleaning process, much like a brush.

If the glass bottle has cloudy marks on the inside, try pouring some vinegar and coarse sand into the bottle. Shake and swirl the bottle to move the sand around in it every half hour until the stain disappears. It may take up to six hours total of the every-half-hour-shaking routine.

To remove a stain from the inside bottom of a bottle, fill the bottle with water until the bottle is just over half full of water. Take two Alka-Seltzer tablets and drop them into the water. Make sure not to overfill the bottle, or the water may come bubbling out of the top. Let the mixture stand overnight. The stains should be gone from the bottle in the morning.

If the spot is particularly stubborn and will not be removed with the techniques mentioned, there is one more method you can try. Start by making a strong solution of hot vinegar and water in a pot. Do not skimp on the vinegar. Let the bottle soak in this solution for several hours. Make sure that the spot is covered by the mixture during the whole soaking process. Finish by washing in hot soapy water.