Best way clean a vintage mug?

I got a Parksmith fertility mug dating to around 1968. It's in need of a good cleaning. What's the best way to clean up an old mug?

[ Edited by: TikiTacky 2013-05-22 11:05 ]

One thing I strongly recommend, whether the piece is old or new, is to do the cleaning in a plastic bucket. Do not do it in your kitchen sink. If you accidentally bump your piece against the side of a cast-iron sink it will easily chip, or worse.

Older mugs have a tendacy to react to warm and cold water by cracking.

If you need to clean it then use a damp paper towel--don't ever submerge into water.

Also don't put them in the sun or in front of a fan to dry.

Just speaking from experience....

[ Edited by: sandradee 2013-05-22 11:48 ]

Ive found that with old glass and such, items like mugs and old coke bottles, room temp water and Denture cleaner gets rid of all the gunk safely and in a day or so you have a clean and disinfected surface

Never use and type of harsh cleaner or and type of liquid soap with coloring or dye in it. Many vintage mugs can have heavy crazing. Even though the surface appears smooth and intact the dye in many liquid detergents can migrate into the crazing and stain the mug. Many folks have found this out by making cocktails in the home bar only to find the vintage mug stained by grenadine. I use a clean lightly moistened cloth to clean glazed mugs and lightly buff with a soft dry cloth. Be very careful with cold glaze paint as this can be easily washed or rubbed off. I personally don't worry that much about cleaning the interior of my mugs as they are up on a shelf for display. If I find a really nasty mug that needs a good clean out I use a soft glass brush I picked up at the grocery store. I quick dump of the brush in some soapy water and gently scrub the interior clean. This has worked out for my collection and it sounds like I've got to much time on my hands.

What? We're supposed to clean the mugs before drinking out of them?! :wink: I had a handled mug in my office and without thinking poured a Coke into it and on the fifth sip noticed a big glop of crud and worked it's way out of a space in the handle. Yuck!

that's why you're supposed to be drinking beverages that contain alcohol-- its a disinfectant!