Wipe it gently with a soft, dry cloth; that is the whole routine. The colour is fired into the glass at 1,465°F, so it does not rub off, fade in a sunny window, or need any polish or spray. Keep the solder and the brass dry, hang it from its chain on a fixed hook, and otherwise leave it alone.
What should I clean it with?
A soft, dry cloth, gently, whenever the glass picks up dust. Nothing else is needed, and we would rather you used nothing else.
The glass surface is fired and hard, so a dry cloth is enough to bring the shine back. The parts to be careful of are the metal ones: the solder lines between the pieces and the brass frame around the edge. Liquid that gets into the joins has nowhere to go, so sprays, soaking and wet wiping are the things to avoid. If something has dried onto the glass and a dry cloth will not shift it, write to us before trying anything stronger; a person answers, usually within the day.
- Do: dust with a soft, dry cloth
- Do not: spray glass cleaner onto it
- Do not: soak it or run it under a tap
- Do not: scrub the solder lines or the brass
Will the colour fade in a sunny window?
No. The colour is in the glass, not on it: each piece is painted and then fired at 1,465°F, which fuses the colour into the glass. There is no surface layer for the sun to work on.
That is the reason the piece is made the slow way. A printed or coated colour has a surface that sun and cloth both wear at; fired colour does not. So the sunniest window you have is the best place for it, not the worst. What a suncatcher is made of goes into the kiln in more detail.
How do I look after the brass and the solder?
Keep them dry and leave them be. The brass frame and chain and the solder lines need no polish and no treatment.
Brass is a metal that changes a little with time and handling; a softer, deeper tone on the frame after a few years is the metal doing what brass does, not a fault. If you prefer it bright, a dry cloth over the frame is all we would do ourselves. Do not use a metal polish: it runs into the glass joins and is hard to get out again.
What if the chain or a hook comes loose?
Take the piece down, set it flat somewhere safe, and message us. A person answers, usually within the day, and will probably tell you more than you asked.
The chain is brass and hangs from the brass frame, which is hand-soldered around the edge. The weak point in most cases is the hook in the wall or the window frame rather than the chain, so when you hang it, use a fixed hook that is rated for more than you think a suncatcher weighs. The hanging guide covers that.
How should I store it or move house with it?
Keep the double-walled box it arrived in. It was packed to cross the world in that box, and it will cross town in it too.
| Task | How | When |
|---|---|---|
| Dusting | Soft, dry cloth, gently | Whenever it needs it |
| Cleaning the brass | Dry cloth over the frame, no polish | Only if you want it brighter |
| Marks a dry cloth will not shift | Message us before trying anything else | As needed |
| Moving or storing | Flat, in the original double-walled box | Any move |
| A loose chain or hook | Take it down, lay it flat, message us | Straight away |
Lay it flat in the box rather than standing it on its edge, and do not stack anything on top. If you have lost the box, wrap it in something soft and carry it flat. The same goes for a Christmas ornament between seasons: back in its box, flat, somewhere it will not be knocked.
Questions this leaves
Can I use a damp cloth?
Our instruction is a soft, dry cloth, and for ordinary dust that is all it takes. The concern with water is not the glass but the solder joins and the brass, where liquid can sit. If a dry cloth is not enough, ask us before reaching for anything wet.
Does it need to come down in winter or in a hot window?
No. The glass has been through a kiln at 1,465°F; a window in any season is nothing to it. Leave it where it catches the light all year. What glass minds is being knocked, not heat or cold, so keep it clear of a pane that swings open.
How do I care for the Christmas ornament?
The same way: a soft, dry cloth, and the original box between seasons. The ornament is thick translucent glass with a gold cap and raised metallic lead lines, so keep polish and sprays away from the cap and the lines just as you would with the frame of a suncatcher.
