Glass brushes

Look at your tallest glass; that determines the height. For tumblers, wine glasses, and regular beer glasses, 18 centimeters is enough. If you have tall specialty beer glasses, highball glasses, or vases, you need 25 centimeters. Otherwise, you won't reach the bottom. With a set that includes both heights, you can cover the whole cabinet in one go.

Use a single brush for a quick rinse between washes. A set of three or five is faster. The outer brushes clean the outside and the rim, while the middle one cleans the inside. Then there's the mounting. Suction cups attach to a smooth stainless steel sink and can be moved around. A model with a base stands freely in the sink and is easier to remove. The heads can be replaced separately, so the base lasts longer than the bristles.

Fill the bowl with lukewarm water and a splash of glass rinse aid. Don’t use hot water, because it sets the grease and can cause a thin rim to crack. Push the glass over the brush, turn it two or three times, then rinse it in clean, cold water. Don’t skip the final rinse. Soap residue leaves exactly the same film as grease.

Then leave the glasses upside down to drain on a rack, or dry them with a lint-free cloth while they’re still warm. You can tell whether a glass is truly grease-free by the foam. The head stays in place, and little rings run down the sides.

Brushes left sitting in stagnant water all day will start to smell. Rinse them under the tap after your shift, shake them dry, and stand them upright so the water can drain out. An aluminum base can go in the dishwasher on a short cycle.

If the bristles start to splay or stay flat, replace the head. They no longer scrub; they just stroke the glass. For carafes and bottles with a narrow neck, a glass brush is no use. Use a long-handled brush or a cleaning agent instead.

It all starts with clean glassware. If you need to replace your glasses, first take a look at the beer glasses or the wine glasses. Carafes that you’ll keep washing by hand can be found under carafes. For behind the bar, we also have cocktail shakers and ice buckets. Find out what a clean glass can do for a drink in our cocktail recipes, such as gin and tonic.