I recently moved and want to thoroughly clean the glass shelves in my curios before putting my HL back in. I've thoroughly cleaned them with windex and they seem squeaky clean, however, when you turn the shelf just a little, you can see exactly where all the HL were sitting. There is an outline of the footprint of each model where it was sitting on the shelf. Any ideas for getting this off so that the shelves are once again thoroughly clean???


Lighthouse Ghost

I'm not sure about footprints on glass shelves, but nothing does better on my glass sliders than vinegar and water (50-50 mix) and wiping clean with newsprint.

I use Windex and newsprint with excellent results.

Hey Lighthouse Ghost, ...How long were your HLs in one spot? I clean my curios about every 2-3 weeks. I take all the HLs out, remove the shelves, clean the mirrored back and glass sides and doors,and clean the glass shelves just before I put them back in. I wear rubber gloves while handling the glass shelves. This prevents any type of finger prints from appearing on the freshly cleaned shelves and also affords me a good grip when replacing the shelves.

I have not experienced any HL "footprints" in my curios. Maybe those marks will just go away if you reposition your HLs in a different manner so they are not in the exact same spot. By the way, my glass cleaner of choice has been Clearview.

Bob

Ternabout - Thanks for the tip!!! The vinegar seems to have done the trick!!!

Lamar - I had already tried Windex (see my post) and it just wasn't removing the footprints.

Bob M - 200+ lighthouses is too many to take out of the curios every 2 or 3 weeks. They don't get that dusty. Just noticed these footprints when I moved the lighthouses to clean the curios at 6 month intervals(so they have been in the same place for 6 months). Had never thought about ternabouts method before, that fixed them right up.

Thanks again Ternabout!!!


Lighthouse Ghost

Yah, but had you tried Windex and newsprint?

I think that 'footprint' of dullness is something that leaches out of the 'suede felt' or the adhesive used to affix it to the bottom. Nothing that is permanent, just a bit harder to clean.

Last time I used Windex and paper towels - not the best idea, but it worked OK.

Now this post from BobM can't go by without a comment:



Hey Bob - how do you find time to do that with everything else you do?

Sure wish we lived closer, I'd pay you good money to clean my curios and rotate the display every couple of months!! (New career opportunity for an enterprising individual who does NOT have slippery fingers!)

Hmmm.. "Chidester's Curio Cabinet Cleaners" Maybe in a couple of years my 14 year old will be ready. Anybody want to buy the local franchise?

[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 09-13-99).]

Lamar - yep, normally use windex and newsprint. Thanks for the tip though.

John - Glad to see I am not the only one who had this problem. Windex just wouldn't clean mine but the vinegar did the trick. Also, I'll take the Alabama franchise of "Chidester's Curio Cabinet Cleaners!!!"

Sean - Thanks for the tip about the California Duster! I hadn't thought of using that! I do use a soft makeup brush and canned air for the HL's themselves.

Thanks again everyone!


Lighthouse Ghost

California duster? Is that the little duster with the wooden handle with all the synthetic bristles? I have one of those too. I use it after I remove the HLs and before I clean the glass. Once I put the clean shelves back in the curios, I give them a "once over lightly" with the duster to pick up any specks of dust that settled on the shelves as I was putting them back in.

My third curio is due in about 7 weeks. Once again it is a Jasper curio. They are excellent quality with a full piano hinge and 3/8 inch glass shelves. It will be fun to have another curio to clean.(Yah...right!)

At least the removal before cleaning affords me the opportunity to rearrange my displays. I can't wait till the new entertainment center arrives also so I can put more HLs and ABs on display. Christmas time will bring competition from my wife's Dept 56 NE Village. Hey, it's only for a month each year...lol !

Bob

Hey Sean, ... I checked out the California Duster site and that isn't the duster I have. Mine looks like a synthetic thread "barrel" with a handle sticking out of one end. It's probably 10 inches long and about 5 inches in diameter. It is very soft and seems to work well.

Bob

Isn't that the "Magna Duster" or something like that? And they come in a set of three, from large to little?

Nice to see you guys into cleaning. Maybe "cleaning woman" is passe, now should be "cleaning person"?

MOMBO

Hey Sean and Ghost -
I used canned air for a while, but got concerned about chemicals affecting the paint. I stopped, but if you aren't having any problems, may start using it again.
Rich

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I tell you, I have really done a lot of forum reading today and at one point thought I would be a real "Wacko". But if I have to take my HL's out every two to three weeks and clean and I only have 104, I can not be a real "Wacko".

Sean,
Thanks for the info on the California Duster.
Great Idea.

Rusty

In addition to the Magnaduster, small artist paint brushes work well. I also have started trying the new dusting product the "Swifter"? Works great

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Harry R

I took out all my glass shelves and replaced them with stained wood...who cares if the light won't shine through to the bottom shelf now? Darn thing got too hot anyway...also replaced all of the plastic shelf brackets with metal ones...(drastic measures taken after watching the glass bow down under the weight of my Oregon pieces, including Coquille River)...

...now if I could just find a way to get rid of the mirrors in back, what a pain to clean...or better yet, anyone know where to find removable scenery stickers (like vinyl decals) such as miniature sea gulls, clouds, etc.?

Sounds like you got one funky curio there partner!

Bob

Lenscrafters brand of eyeglass cleaner works
great as it does not contain the amonia mixtures that causes the ring effect you see
when removing the LH,s from the shelves nor
does it cause the rubber foam backing to stick or smudge...... just a clean clear surface that does not attract airborn nasty's
that causes a loss of clarity over time. This stuff works great .

Lonnie
On the Delmarva Penn.

Hey Lonnie, ... How many of those little bottles of eyeglass cleaner does it take to clean a curio? Or should I say, three curios?

Bob

Not as funky as it sounds, Bob! It's just that I reside in earthquake country (Bay Area of No. CA) and do not trust glass and mirrors AT ALL...it seems that all curios these days are made with nothing but, so I prefer wood bookshelves, boatshelves, or even an antique sideboard to display my pieces...

[This message has been edited by Rock (edited 10-21-99).]

Hey Rock, ...Sounds like we should get you some velcro and bungie cords for Christmas...LOL!

Bob

Hey Rock, glad we read your comments about earthquakes - we live over a major fault line and have everything battened down, EXCEPT our newish HL display cases - bring on the velcro and bungies, Bob!

Seattle Sailors

Bob,

Lenscrafters sells refill bottles in 8fl ounce size and larger . I just pour it in
a larger size spray bottle .

Lonnie
On the Delmarva Penn.