"Can I put them in the machine?" It's a question I am often asked. The answer isn't as straight forward as yes or no.
Traditionally, the paints used for glass have not tested well in the dishwasher. Sometimes, it holds up well for a wash or two but in time the paint finish breaks down and begins to wear away. Worse, The first wash will take a large portion of the paint away leaving the glassware unusable.
There is a new paint product on the market. Pebeo Vitrea 160 Glass Paints, claim to be dishwasher safe.
"After baking, colours are dishwasher safe (following recommendations) and resistant to detergents and common solvents. Only the areas not intended to be put in contact with food must be decorated." ..." So, although they're labeled non-toxic, do not allow food or beverages to come into contact with the painted surfaces."
I scoured the internet and couldn't find what the recommendations for dishwasher safety were, so I did my own testing of the Pebeo Vitrea 160 product. I don't want to bore you with technical details. Suffice to say, there is a difference in the look, feel and application of the product. I painted two wine glasses with the same design. One, I washed by hand and one, in my dishwasher. It ran with full hot water, no cold at all, glass on the top rack. Twice.
See if you can find the difference.
This photo is not retouched. Honestly, I couldn't find any fault with the paint. Admittedly, I only ran it through one more time after the initial two. Hardly, a rough test but nonetheless, one looks as good as the other.
So why isn't all glass painted with it? There's a variety of reasons.
The paints have a "glow" about them. They are translucent, which is to say you can see through the colour. That aspect has it's virtues but it's not always the look you are going for.
There is a definite difference is feel as mentioned previously. The artist would need to "re-learn" their style with a new product. There is a decisive cost difference as well. While neither is inexpensive, the new product does come with a new product price tag.
From the artist's perspective, some things like roses or berries appear stronger with the use of shadows and highlights to give them form. Whereas the poppy is traditionally flat in appearance against the lapels of our jackets. Their luminance adds to the emotion of the intangible people we have lost.
Bottom line. If you feel your painted purchase is an art piece, take the time to care for it as such.
Wash your glass pieces in warm, (not hot) water with a gentle non abrasive liquid soap. Fill a sink or basin with the water. DO NOT PUT THEM ALL IN AT ONCE, rather wash each one individually. This way, glasses won't bump each other, and the paint will not soak in the water. Use a soft cloth or sponge, and, holding the glass by the bowl, (the largest area) wipe all the surfaces clean. Never hold it by the stem to wash as this is the weakest spot on a glass. Avoid using a brush to wash as it can scratch the paint.
RINSE the glass in clean warm, never hot, water. Check to make sure all the wine has washed away. Sometimes, because wine has been standing in the glass overnight, a wine ring or stain will be left. If that's the case, and it didn't wash off, simply pour some vinegar in to cover the stain and allow it to sit long enough to loosen the wine and remove the stain. Then wash it again to remove the residue.
Dry your glasses by leaving them upside down on a clean cloth or with a soft towel gently remove the moisture to avoid water spots on the glass.
It really is that easy.
If you would like to see some painted glasses now, follow the link to my painted glassware page.
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