I love decanting red wines. And some whites. But I have always struggled with cleaning decanters properly.
My usual technique is to was then in very hot water several times, and then leave them to drain. But they never seem to drain completely, and then some water always seems to condense in them, no matter how hot they are – it never seems to evaporate properly. And I don’t like to leave decanters with a few drops of water in the bottom when I store them.
I have just discovered two solutions to these problems. The first is solved by a nifty product from Around Wine, called decanter drier crystals. These silica crystals are blue when dry, red when wet. You dry them in the microwave (or conventional oven), then suspend them in the neck of a drained, washed decanter. They absorb the moisture and the decanter dries properly. You can then recharge them in the microwave to use again.
The second problem is solved by using either rice, or BB gun pellets (made from stainless steel, and cheaply available on Ebay). These, with a bit of water, can abrade the most stubborn red wine stains from a decanter.
Both these solutions make me more willing to use decanters for all the wines I serve. A good thing.
This is the blog of wine journalist Jamie Goode, online since 2001. Feel free to nose around; your comments are welcomed.
To help you dry a wine decanter regardless of its shape. After cleaning, rinse the decanter with boiling water and then shake out as much water as possible and the heat will initiate and speed up the successful drying process.
Both these solutions make me more willing to use decanters for all the wines I serve. A good thing.
This is the blog of wine journalist Jamie Goode, online since 2001. Feel free to nose around; your comments are welcomed.
I love decanting red wines. And some whites. But I have always struggled with cleaning decanters properly.
The second problem is solved by using either rice, or BB gun pellets (made from stainless steel, and cheaply available on Ebay). These, with a bit of water, can abrade the most stubborn red wine stains from a decanter.
I have just discovered two solutions to these problems. The first is solved by a nifty product from Around Wine, called decanter drier crystals. These silica crystals are blue when dry, red when wet. You dry them in the microwave (or conventional oven), then suspend them in the neck of a drained, washed decanter. They absorb the moisture and the decanter dries properly. You can then recharge them in the microwave to use again.
The second is a decanter drying stand allowing you to dry the decanter upside down without chipping the neck. This is what we recommend. If you do not have one, try leaving it upside down and let it rest on some cloth to protect the glass from scratching on other glassware or cutlery.
If you are having problems with condensation make sure you are drying it correctly and for an enough period of time. Then, drop a silica packet inside. In case the neck is too narrow, you can always attach a string to the packet to make it easier to remove it later on.
This method shines because of its easy to get materials that already are already available at most homes. You just drop some pinches of coarse salt for an enhanced effect and then add crushed ice. Swirl it with some vigour but not too strongly. Lastly, you can let wait for the ice to melt a little or add some room temperature or lukewarm water (remember that glass dislikes large temperature variations).
Just pour some hot water on the decanter and then splash some vinegar. Swirl it around as needed. Remove the solution from the decanter and add hot water again to remove the smell. If this is not enough you can repeat the previous steps and add some uncooked rice with the vinegar for maximum effect.
If you want that extra sparkle and make an impact with your glass piece, you can polish it. Simply boil some water and put the decanter on top of it to absorb the steam (without touching the water). Here is a video on how to do it with a glass cup.
How to Dry a Wine Decanter Properly
FAQ
How do you get rid of clouding in a decanter?
How to clean a decanter?
Swirl the decanter until all the inner surface has been touched by the solution. Afterward, rinse with warm water. You can also skip the salt and use a decanter brush instead. A useful innovation that can thoroughly clean decanter is the decanter brush. Some people are not so comfortable just swirling water and another cleaner in their decanter.
How do you Dry a decanter?
After cleaning, rinse the decanter with boiling water and then shake out as much water as possible and the heat will initiate and speed up the successful drying process. Drying a decanter after use is very important so as not to encourage water spots or worse, a film of calcium build-up from hard water.
How do you clean a denture decanter?
To start, fill your decanter with warm water and drop one denture tablet. Set this aside until the tablet is fully dissolved. Swirl the decanter around to remove the stains or you can use the decanter brush. Then, pour out the solution and rinse the decanter with warm water, making sure that no solution is left.
Can you use salt to clean a decanter?
Don’t worry, salt can actually be used with hot water as well to help you clean your decanter. Hot water is always great to help you loosen up any residue and tackle rough stains. However, you may still need that extra scrub in order to get more stubborn stains out. All you have to do is add some salt to your hot water and shake things up.