Tips for Thrifting Good Vintage Glassware (& How to Clean It)
Who is up for a little thrifting trip? I popped into a local thrift store yesterday (the equivalent of Goodwill in my area) and came home with a vintage glassware set. Among the top things I search for when thrifting is glassware, books, pottery, and art. I will always make time to go down those four aisles. Even if I find nothing else, I feel glassware is pretty much a guarantee… you can always find something cool. Today, I wanted to share my best tips for thrifting good vintage glassware, along with how I clean it. I know some are hesitant to purchase used items because of cleanability, and luckily- glassware is the easiest to sanitize and clean.
Aside from the glassware we carry in my shop (check out classic glassware from Tuesday Made here!), most of the drinkware in our home is vintage. It’s been a hobby of mine for quite some time, as you might have guessed from our basement bar and vintage hutch. Here’s how I find the good stuff…
What To Look For (How to Find the Good Stuff)
To keep things quick and easy, I’ll just share an itemized list of things I’m looking for in the glassware department…
- A full set or even numbers (typically 4, 6, or 8)
- Crystal
- Interesting shapes and forms
- A maker’s mark (this could include “made in”, a stamp, a logo, etc)
- Seeded glass (anything with bubbles, hammered texture, seeds, or reeds)
- Something with a nice weight that feels good in hand
- Unique colors (I’m partial to green glass)
- High quality (no mass produced seams)
- Pressed or patterned glass
- Anything handblown
- Items in excellent condition
I spotted these fluted glasses with a silver rim, that were extremely dirty but reminded me of something I’d recently seen at Ralph Lauren Home. They were interesting, felt good in hand, I liked the edge detail, there were no evident seams, and while they were gross- I knew they had potential.
I grabbed the set for $6 total… $1 per glass from my local thrift store. I brought them home and immediately gave them a good cleaning. Here’s how…
Cleaning
For glassware that is super delicate, has a gold or silver rim, or is printed / painted, I’ll opt for hand-washing. I have a pretty good instinct if something will survive the dishwasher- or not. I filled my sink with very hot water, dish soap, and vinegar, allowing the glassware to soak for a few hours while I ran errands. I scrubbed them, gave them a good rinse, and dried them to reveal clean, pristine glasses!
For glassware that is more durable, I have no problem running them through the dishwasher on a deep clean or sanitizing cycle. I wasn’t sure how the silver rim would hold up in this instance, so I played it safe.
Above, they had just came from the sink to the drying mat, before I toweled them off. Not bad, right?
Vintage Glassware Finds
I debated where I wanted these glasses to live… upstairs in the main kitchen on our open kitchen shelving, OR- the basement bar within the vintage hutch. Upstairs, I could see these being used at the coffee bar for weekend mimosas. Downstairs, they make perfect since for any wine, liquor, or cocktail. They fit right in with our existing collection.
For fun, I figured I’d scour Chairish to find some good glassware options for you- if you’re also in the market for spring & summer entertaining. Etsy and Ebay are also amazing resources for vintage glassware.
Click directly on each glass below to be redirected.
Do you like any of these? Where do you think my new glassware set should live? Kitchen or basement bar? I’m still contemplating!
FAQ
French crystal decanters that can be found in our vintage hutch at the basement bar. I found them at an estate sale.
Crystal, French & Italian glass, anything handblown or seeded, pressed glass, decanters, and things outside of drinkware, too… dishes or pedestals, trays, vases, etc.
I usually do 1:1… which typically does the trick for a deep clean. Then I use a towel to dry them off.
Related
Looking for more thrifting, kitchen, drinkware, or entertaining posts? I’ll link some of my personal favorites below…
- Basement Bar Reveal
- The Ultimate Bar Checklist
- My Dishes, Glassware, & Kitchenware
- Classic Glassware from Tuesday Made
- Blue & White Tablescape for Spring and Summer
- Outdoor Living Tour : Dining Area
- Pasta Making Dinner Party
- Amazon Finds : Affordable Barware
I hope you liked this one! I just happened to pop into the thrift store yesterday because I had 15 minutes to burn before a doctor appointment, so it’s always a fun surprise when you walk out with something unexpected… even better when it sparks an impromptu blog post. Have a great day, friends!