Having sold Riedel Crystal for the past fifteen years, listening to our clients and drawing upon our own personal experiences, we have formulated a suggested set of guidelines for the care, maintenance and longevity of your glasses. After all, you have a substantial amount of money invested in them.

No matter how good their intentions are, do not let your spouse, friends, aunts or uncles assist you in cleaning the glasses. The more people you have cleaning them the more chance of breakage. Do it by yourself. It's a Zen thing.

If you have had too much to drink and decide to wash your glasses - do not. Quickly rinse them out with hot water and wash them the next morning. You will thank us.

Lipstick does stain the glasses. Purchase a small sponge or a baby bottle brush. Immediately after dinner, clean the lipstick off with warm water and soap.

If you have to use a dishwasher to clean your Riedel glasses, ensure that the glasses will be washed with no other plates or dishes. Double check your dishwasher is free of all food particles. Do not use soap in the cycle and use only a short hot water rinse and let them air dry. As you can see it is easier to hand wash them.

When washing by hand, remove all rings or jewellery that may scratch or break the glass. (Would you wash your Ferrari with your rings on?) Then let the glasses air dry.

If you must use a cloth to polish or dry the glasses, again, remove all rings or jewellery that may harm the glasses. Place the bowl of the glass in the palm of your hand. The stem should rest in the 'V' that is created when you spread your middle finger and ring finger apart. Place your lint free cloth in the glass bowl and turn the cloth, not the glass.

If you hold the stem of the glass and place the cloth in the bowl and polish the bowl by turning it one way while turning the stem in the opposite direction, you will twist the stem off the bowl.

If you purchase your glasses in their box, keep the box. They work great for storage and transport.