Treat your glass with respect. Remember – no matter how much it’s supported or how strong it looks – this piece is made out of a breakable material and is fragile!!! 
       
OWNER’S MANUAL FOR STAINED GLASS

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ONE OF OUR ITEMS HAS GONE TO LIVE AT YOUR HOUSE. HERE’S HOW TO TAKE CARE OF A STAINED GLASS PIECE OF ART.

HANGING A SUNCATCHER:  I RECOMMEND THAT YOU HANG YOUR PIECE SECURELY FROM A STURDY HOOK THAT HAS BEEN SCREWED INTO A SECURE MATERIAL, LIKE A WALL STUD OR WOODEN WINDOW FRAME – SOMETHING THAT ISN’T GOING TO FALL DOWN AND GO “BOOM” ONCE IT HAS A PIECE OF WEIGHTY GLASS HANGING FROM IT. I AM NOT A HUGE FAN OF SUCTION CUP HANGERS ATTACHED TO WINDOWS UNLESS IT’S A SMALL PIECE OF GLASS (LESS THAN 7 INCHES) AND LARGE HIGH QUALITY SUCTION CUP HANGER WITH PIECE HANGING FROM IT IN A NO-TRAFFIC AREA. THIS IS WHAT I PROVIDE TO YOU. TO ASSURE MAXIMUM ADHHERANCE TO THE WINDOW, BE SURE TO MOISTEN (LICK) THE BACK OF THE SUCTION CUP AND DEPRESS THE MIDDLE.  

NEVER HANG A FULL-SIZED PANEL WITH A SUCTION CUP. I RECOMMEND USING 2 HOOKS, RUNNING CHAIN FROM THE CORNERS OF YOUR PANEL TO SAID HOOKS. HOOKS SHOULD BE FIRMLY ATTACHED TO WINDOW FRAME. THIS WAY, IF ONE HOOK WERE TO FAIL (UNLIKELY), THE OTHER HOOK WOULD LIKELY PROTECT THE PIECE FROM FALLING TO THE GROUND.
 

CLEANING: THE STAINED GLASS PIECE YOU HAVE PURCHASED HAS BEEN CLEANED, THEN COMPLETELY PROTECTED WITH A WAXY SEALER THAT IS APPLIED IN ITS SPRAY LIQUID FORM, IS LEFT TO DRY, AND IS THEN BUFFED AND POLISHED WITH A SOFT, DRY RAG. ASIDE FROM A GENTLE DUSTING, YOUR PIECE MAY NEVER NEED TO BE CLEANED. I DON’T RECOMMEND USING WINDOW CLEANERS OR OTHER CHEMICAL CLEANERS ON ANY PIECE OF STAINED GLASS, SINCE THEY MAY DAMAGE THE LEAD, SOLDER, GLASS AND INTEGRITY OF THE PIECE. I HAVE FOUND THAT A LIGHT BUFFING WITH A PRODUCT LIKE PLEDGE DOES A NICE JOB OF POLISHING YOUR GLASS. 

 

WHITE POWDER-LIKE CRUD: WE ARE RELENTLESS IN CLEANING THE PIECE BEFORE IT IS SEALED. HOWEVER, FROM TIME TO TIME, SOLDER OR LEAD WILL OXIDIZE AND LEAVE A WHITISH SUBSTANCE ON ITS SURFACE. AGAIN, NO PANIC IS NECESSARY. GENTLY WIPE WITH A BRUSH OR A NON-ABRASIVE PLASTIC POT SCRUBBER TO REMOVE THE “TARNISH”. (NEVER PUT ABRASIVE STUFF TO YOUR GLASS PIECE. IF YOU CAN’T GET THE “TARNISH” OFF, CONTACT US.) ONCE TARNISH IS REMOVED, RE-WAX PIECE WITH A SPRAY WAX LIKE PLEDGE.

 

ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR, I RECOMMEND YOU RE-SEAL THE PIECE SO THAT IT’S PROTECTED FROM “TARNISH”. GLASS SEALER IS AVAILABLE AT STAINED GLASS SUPPLY STORES, BUT IT’S EXPENSIVE. A GOOD QUALITY SPRAY FURNITURE POLISH OR CAR WAX THAT CONTAINS CARNAUBA WAX WILL WORK JUST AS WELL. I SPRAY THE WAX ON A SOFT RAG AND THEN POLISH THE METAL AND GLASS SURFACES FOLLOWED BY A SOFT DRY RAG TO BUFF IT.

 

TOUCHING YOUR GLASS PIECE:  OUR STAINED GLASS PIECES ARE PUT TOGETHER WITH SOLDER THAT CONTAINS LEAD. EVEN THOUGH EACH PIECE IS SEALED WHEN IT’S FINISHED, I ALWAYS SUGGEST THAT YOU DO WHAT I DO AND WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND WARM WATER AFTER CLEANING/ HANDLING ANY STAINED GLASS PIECE. LEAD IS A HEALTH ISSUE WHEN INHALED OR INGESTED. WASHING YOUR HANDS AFTER HANDLING IT IS CONSIDERED SUFFICIENT PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT UNWANTED EXPOSURE. 
 

ENJOY YOUR STAINED GLASS PIECE FOR YEARS TO COME!

 

KURT AND DAN @ WALLINGFORD STAINED GLASS WORKS