our kitchen spaces are made up of various harmful products and equipment such as heat sources knives utensils cleaning products water and other liquids that may spill and other potentially hazardous equipment and items this makes it one of the most hazardous spaces in your home this space needs to be handled with care and full attention especially the usage and care of the glassware which needs the right handling and gentle care however these special pieces in your home need the right care to continue to maintain their appeal for years and to make sure their use is not cut short through breakages and increases their lifespan tips on how to handle glassware 1 thermal shock did you know the primary reason behind the breakage of glass in dishwashers is thermal shock glassware items have their own temperature and the unexpected change in this temperature is known as thermal shock because of their dense nature the material s quick expansion and retraction when exposed to cold or heat will weaken the item s overall structure pay attention to all glassware they all feature a specific thermal shock resistance level and frequent exposure to unexpected changes in temperature will result in breakage of glassware 2 mechanical shock this refers to the physical impact on the glass often from a piece of tableware or another glass all glasses feature a specific mechanical shock resistance characteristic and frequent impacts can minimize any glassware item s strength and quality 3 handwashing glassware before using any type of glassware washing first is the number one rule use the right detergent with water while using abrasive shock or spongeto minimize the likelihood of mechanical shock don t soak with other glassesindividually wash each piece of glassware 4 using a glasswasher make sure you use a glass rack when using a glasswasher do not use a plate rack or flatware rack always use the low temperature level on the glasswashermake sure you use a dedicated glassware machine clean cutlery and crockery separately 5 handwashing glassware before using any type of glassware washing first is the number one rule use the right detergent with water while using abrasive shock or spongeto minimize the likelihood of mechanical shock don t soak with other glassesindividually wash each piece of glassware 6 drying glassware after every wash leave your glassware in an upside down position to dryonce dry remove the remaining watermarks with a soft dry cloth this will help retain the glassware s clarityair drying the glasses is also recommended where possible cloths have the potential to spread dirt and grease leaving unwanted toxins and smells on your glassware