By their very nature, some vases spend extended periods without being used. They could be stored in a cupboard, or simply left unattended in their usual location. When this happens, dust, dirt, algae or even plant debris can build up around the rim and in the neck and well of the vase.
Is it possible to clean vases with narrow necks, and if so, how?
The first thing you may notice is that a bottle brush won’t fit into most vases, especially bud vases, and those of the taller, thinner variety. Sometimes, an old toothbrush will work, but not always.
In the case of dust build-up wherein a brush won’t work, an extended soak in hot, soapy water can do the trick. However, this technique won’t work for every stain on every vase. Sometimes, a bit of ingenuity is needed.
One tactic involves pouring a small amount of washing-up liquid and water into the vase and leaving it overnight. In the morning, take a cocktail skewer (or similar), attach a cotton bud to the end, and gently, but persistently, scrub it until all the dirt is removed.
If this fails to work, another option is to place the vase in a dishwasher, ideally somewhere near the bottom. Of course, this isn’t recommended for finer/older items. However, for a lot of smaller, thinner vases, this will do the trick. If it sounds simple, that’s because it is.
If the business end of a cotton bud or a hot, soapy dishwasher cycle fails to do the trick, you might consider this final tactic. Take a small amount of rice (enough to cover the bottom of the vase without filling the vessel up entirely) and use a funnel to add it to the vase. From here, add a very small amount of (ideally hot) water, just enough so that the grains of rice can scrape the dirt off of the bottom and sides of the vase. Next, squirt a little washing-up liquid into the mixture and (with dry hands) gently shake or swirl the vase around, taking care not to be too aggressive or risk dropping the vase.
When the vase appears clean, simply tip the rice and water into the bin (not down the sink) and wash it as you normally would. If the vase is not yet clean, you might try repeating the process a few times.
Other variations of this method include using lemon juice, crushed eggshells, popcorn kernels, vinegar, baking soda, salt, sand, and even crushed ice.
We don’t recommend this process for exceptionally old or high-value items. However, one final option that might work would be soaking the vase in water overnight with a denture cleaning tablet added. This should soak the grime away over time.
Even after using these methods, it may still be necessary to employ a cotton bud, or perhaps pipe cleaners, to manually scrub away any remaining dirt.
From a certain viewpoint, there can be few things as frustrating as a vase or vessel that seemingly can’t be cleaned, either due to algae build-up, dust, dirt, grime, or all of the above. Hopefully, the methods we’ve suggested here will help you to triumph over this frustration, and keep those special vessels nice and clean for years to come.