I have some wine glasses (made out of glass) that are really difficult to clean. There's always stains on them, especially inside of the cup. The stains look like grease stains, but they are clean.
I've tried scrubbing, just using water, wiped with a cloth, washed them in a dishwasher, with and without soap, etc. I've tried air drying them, and even drying them with a cloth.
Also, this goes for all of my wine glasses, so they're not broken or anything, since I always have the same problem.How to wash wine glasses?
It sounds like you've already tried every kind of conventional washing and drying.
If you live in a hard water area, it could be a calcium or some other deposit from the water. I have that problem when we're using creek water and use a product called C.L.R. which stands for Calcium. Lime.Rust. It's sold for getting deposits out of coffee pots and things like that. I'm from Australia so you may not have that particular product where you live (though it's imported here) but there should be something similar. It's fairly expensive, but you only need to use a small amount whever the deposit becomes noticeable.How to wash wine glasses?
What you need to do
Get Mild Dishwashing Detergent
Wine Glasses
Step1Prepare the sink by placing a rubber mat on the bottom of the sink and a rubber guard on the faucet.
Step2Wash the glasses one at a time using a very mild dishwashing detergent and water.
Step3Rinse in warm water.
Step4Dry each glass by hand immediately after rinsing using a soft, dry dish towel.
1-2 hours after using them, pre-soak in warm water and dish washing detergent. Then try standing them up cup-side-down (in the bottom drawer if needed for height) in the dishwasher and using Jet Dry ( the Jet Dry is probably most important.) When I wash my wine glasses laying down, it leaves a dry water film inside. I've never tried all the methods that you have, but this always works for me.
After they come out of the dishwasher, let them dry. Then take a teapot and fill it with steaming hot water. Put the wine glass over the steam and wipe them off with non-cotton cloth.
I've never experienced this problem, but I wash my wine glasses by hand with hot water (but bearable to the touch), a dishrag, and Dawn. Rinse really well and dry on a kitchen towel, upside down.
Try vinegar and warm to hot water, works great for getting rid of hard water stains and grease (even lipstick)!
Try to wash them in hot water it will make the difference add soap and wash them, you will have no stains at all
Lemon
i would n't use too hot of water i have had breaking experiences from this
rinse with really hot water then wipe straight away till shiny
Fart in them, and then smell your own fart.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Why do washing machines have glass doors?
Its not as if we want to watch a pile of dirty laundry go round and round!! So why the glass front?Why do washing machines have glass doors?
So you can make sure you haven't stuffed your kitty in with the clothes.Why do washing machines have glass doors?
Maybe some people don't hear it stop so if they see the laundry has stopped moving it is done. Or it's easier to see if you have something in there in case you forget.
My machine's door isn't visible as it's integrated, but you have a point there. I suppose the glass door is there in case the machine goes wrong and you can check if it's filling/emptying ok without having to open the door and getting water everywhere.
i believe the trend started in laundromats and the glass doors are to see which one you recognize as your laundry.
I had a washer that didn't have a glass door and the wife moaned that she couldn't see if the washing was getting clean or feel if the water was getting warm and she said with a glass door youcan check that the machine is empty and when you open the door you don't get a flood
incase you see something that shouldn't be in there e.g. car keys, money etc
It IS for monkeys like me who like to navel gaze, or see how far along my laundry is, or watching with dread as the water goes pink from tha idden red sock in my hubby's white Tshirt load....
It's more of a luxury feature. Same thing with ovens. My cheap-*** oven doesn't have a window, but what can you really see that opening the door a crack wouldn't show you, besides a really badly-weirdly-lit view of your food through a black screen which you have to bend over to get a view through?
It's just handy to see when it's stopped if it's far away, I suppose, but if you're in a laundramat, it's something to look at besides the soap operas on the TV bolted to the wall.
When I can't find my cat it's the first place I look.
So that I can see if those two soap tablets are stuck yet again to the front rim of the inside of the machine, and not cleaning my washing.
yep, that's it, just for really really bored people to have something to do lol
Its so you can see that 拢20 note that you forgot to take out of the pocket!!
So that people like me can wash the washing going round and round and round and............................I find it very relaxing and therapeutic although my husband says I'm just mad and have OCD.
So u can watch to see what is going on
maybe YOU don't like to watch. i could sit there for hours with a cup of coffee and watch the socks go round and round and round and round.......
because some people have no life
Incase you leave the door open and when your not looking the cat jumps in then you close the door you might rescue that pussy before you drown her
So you can watch your wash get clean!
It is kinda hypnotic - I could think of worse things to watch (look at the cable guide any day of the week)
So okay, I need to get a life!
So you can see your clothes turning pink!
So we can see if the skid marks came out! lol
maybe you dont like watching it but i could watch it all day :) .....ok im going to go get a life now
because liek..u neeed to look inside to see if its done or not. how lese would u know?
For people who can't afford TV.
I love to watch the dirty water rinse out. It makes me feel like I am accomplishing something... Also, my husbands work clothes are so dirty that if the rinse water is dirty I will wash again.
So you can make sure you haven't stuffed your kitty in with the clothes.Why do washing machines have glass doors?
Maybe some people don't hear it stop so if they see the laundry has stopped moving it is done. Or it's easier to see if you have something in there in case you forget.
My machine's door isn't visible as it's integrated, but you have a point there. I suppose the glass door is there in case the machine goes wrong and you can check if it's filling/emptying ok without having to open the door and getting water everywhere.
i believe the trend started in laundromats and the glass doors are to see which one you recognize as your laundry.
I had a washer that didn't have a glass door and the wife moaned that she couldn't see if the washing was getting clean or feel if the water was getting warm and she said with a glass door youcan check that the machine is empty and when you open the door you don't get a flood
incase you see something that shouldn't be in there e.g. car keys, money etc
It IS for monkeys like me who like to navel gaze, or see how far along my laundry is, or watching with dread as the water goes pink from tha idden red sock in my hubby's white Tshirt load....
It's more of a luxury feature. Same thing with ovens. My cheap-*** oven doesn't have a window, but what can you really see that opening the door a crack wouldn't show you, besides a really badly-weirdly-lit view of your food through a black screen which you have to bend over to get a view through?
It's just handy to see when it's stopped if it's far away, I suppose, but if you're in a laundramat, it's something to look at besides the soap operas on the TV bolted to the wall.
When I can't find my cat it's the first place I look.
So that I can see if those two soap tablets are stuck yet again to the front rim of the inside of the machine, and not cleaning my washing.
yep, that's it, just for really really bored people to have something to do lol
Its so you can see that 拢20 note that you forgot to take out of the pocket!!
So that people like me can wash the washing going round and round and round and............................I find it very relaxing and therapeutic although my husband says I'm just mad and have OCD.
So u can watch to see what is going on
maybe YOU don't like to watch. i could sit there for hours with a cup of coffee and watch the socks go round and round and round and round.......
because some people have no life
Incase you leave the door open and when your not looking the cat jumps in then you close the door you might rescue that pussy before you drown her
So you can watch your wash get clean!
It is kinda hypnotic - I could think of worse things to watch (look at the cable guide any day of the week)
So okay, I need to get a life!
So you can see your clothes turning pink!
So we can see if the skid marks came out! lol
maybe you dont like watching it but i could watch it all day :) .....ok im going to go get a life now
because liek..u neeed to look inside to see if its done or not. how lese would u know?
For people who can't afford TV.
I love to watch the dirty water rinse out. It makes me feel like I am accomplishing something... Also, my husbands work clothes are so dirty that if the rinse water is dirty I will wash again.
Can you use acrylic paint on glass? will it wash off?
If you are painting a surface that will need cleaning - such as a window, wall tile, or dish - the paint will peel or scratch off once it comes in contact with window cleaner, soap, or hot water.
You can add a film hardener to make the acrylic paint hard as a glaze. I have used and would recommend Golden GAC 200.Can you use acrylic paint on glass? will it wash off?
Acrylics do very nicely on glass, especially if they are thinned out enough to be slightly transparent. Once dry, they will not wash off the glass, but can chip and be scraped off; especially if applied thickly with (relatively) high ridges.Can you use acrylic paint on glass? will it wash off?
Yes, I can, and have, used acrylic paint on glass and no, not after it dries.
It wont come off,however you really need to use special glass paints for glass ? You';ll find these at youir local art shop,or online
yes
no
single edge razor blade will remove it quickly and easily.
You can add a film hardener to make the acrylic paint hard as a glaze. I have used and would recommend Golden GAC 200.Can you use acrylic paint on glass? will it wash off?
Acrylics do very nicely on glass, especially if they are thinned out enough to be slightly transparent. Once dry, they will not wash off the glass, but can chip and be scraped off; especially if applied thickly with (relatively) high ridges.Can you use acrylic paint on glass? will it wash off?
Yes, I can, and have, used acrylic paint on glass and no, not after it dries.
It wont come off,however you really need to use special glass paints for glass ? You';ll find these at youir local art shop,or online
yes
no
single edge razor blade will remove it quickly and easily.
How to wash wine glasses?
I have some wine glasses (made out of glass) that are really difficult to clean. There's always stains on them, especially inside of the cup. The stains look like grease stains, but they are clean.
I've tried scrubbing, just using water, wiped with a cloth, washed them in a dishwasher, with and without soap, etc. I've tried air drying them, and even drying them with a cloth.
Also, this goes for all of my wine glasses, so they're not broken or anything, since I always have the same problem.How to wash wine glasses?
It sounds like you've already tried every kind of conventional washing and drying.
If you live in a hard water area, it could be a calcium or some other deposit from the water. I have that problem when we're using creek water and use a product called C.L.R. which stands for Calcium. Lime.Rust. It's sold for getting deposits out of coffee pots and things like that. I'm from Australia so you may not have that particular product where you live (though it's imported here) but there should be something similar. It's fairly expensive, but you only need to use a small amount whever the deposit becomes noticeable.How to wash wine glasses?
What you need to do
Get Mild Dishwashing Detergent
Wine Glasses
Step1Prepare the sink by placing a rubber mat on the bottom of the sink and a rubber guard on the faucet.
Step2Wash the glasses one at a time using a very mild dishwashing detergent and water.
Step3Rinse in warm water.
Step4Dry each glass by hand immediately after rinsing using a soft, dry dish towel.
1-2 hours after using them, pre-soak in warm water and dish washing detergent. Then try standing them up cup-side-down (in the bottom drawer if needed for height) in the dishwasher and using Jet Dry ( the Jet Dry is probably most important.) When I wash my wine glasses laying down, it leaves a dry water film inside. I've never tried all the methods that you have, but this always works for me.
After they come out of the dishwasher, let them dry. Then take a teapot and fill it with steaming hot water. Put the wine glass over the steam and wipe them off with non-cotton cloth.
I've never experienced this problem, but I wash my wine glasses by hand with hot water (but bearable to the touch), a dishrag, and Dawn. Rinse really well and dry on a kitchen towel, upside down.
Try vinegar and warm to hot water, works great for getting rid of hard water stains and grease (even lipstick)!
Try to wash them in hot water it will make the difference add soap and wash them, you will have no stains at all
Lemon
i would n't use too hot of water i have had breaking experiences from this
rinse with really hot water then wipe straight away till shiny
Fart in them, and then smell your own fart.
I've tried scrubbing, just using water, wiped with a cloth, washed them in a dishwasher, with and without soap, etc. I've tried air drying them, and even drying them with a cloth.
Also, this goes for all of my wine glasses, so they're not broken or anything, since I always have the same problem.How to wash wine glasses?
It sounds like you've already tried every kind of conventional washing and drying.
If you live in a hard water area, it could be a calcium or some other deposit from the water. I have that problem when we're using creek water and use a product called C.L.R. which stands for Calcium. Lime.Rust. It's sold for getting deposits out of coffee pots and things like that. I'm from Australia so you may not have that particular product where you live (though it's imported here) but there should be something similar. It's fairly expensive, but you only need to use a small amount whever the deposit becomes noticeable.How to wash wine glasses?
What you need to do
Get Mild Dishwashing Detergent
Wine Glasses
Step1Prepare the sink by placing a rubber mat on the bottom of the sink and a rubber guard on the faucet.
Step2Wash the glasses one at a time using a very mild dishwashing detergent and water.
Step3Rinse in warm water.
Step4Dry each glass by hand immediately after rinsing using a soft, dry dish towel.
1-2 hours after using them, pre-soak in warm water and dish washing detergent. Then try standing them up cup-side-down (in the bottom drawer if needed for height) in the dishwasher and using Jet Dry ( the Jet Dry is probably most important.) When I wash my wine glasses laying down, it leaves a dry water film inside. I've never tried all the methods that you have, but this always works for me.
After they come out of the dishwasher, let them dry. Then take a teapot and fill it with steaming hot water. Put the wine glass over the steam and wipe them off with non-cotton cloth.
I've never experienced this problem, but I wash my wine glasses by hand with hot water (but bearable to the touch), a dishrag, and Dawn. Rinse really well and dry on a kitchen towel, upside down.
Try vinegar and warm to hot water, works great for getting rid of hard water stains and grease (even lipstick)!
Try to wash them in hot water it will make the difference add soap and wash them, you will have no stains at all
Lemon
i would n't use too hot of water i have had breaking experiences from this
rinse with really hot water then wipe straight away till shiny
Fart in them, and then smell your own fart.
How to get the white film out of glass that is washed in dishwasher?
Try using baking soda on a slightly damp cloth to remove the hard water marks from glass without scratching it.
Your water needs softening. You should have a water softener installed. They can be purchased or rented.
If you already have a water softener it may need salt or your salt may have bridged and needs breaking up. Then again it may not be cycling enough.How to get the white film out of glass that is washed in dishwasher?
Use Calgon or another water softener in your dishwasher.How to get the white film out of glass that is washed in dishwasher?
I agree with most of the answers but it could be your water. Try the jet dry. If you have hard water. If you have a water softener then it might be the problem.. It either needs filled with salt or you need a new one. Also sometimes the dishwasher soap will build up inside the dishwasher. Try running vinegar through an empty dishwasher and that will help clean up your dishwasher.
You can wipe them down with a clean cloth and white vinegar.
It works on shower doors so it will certainly work on glasses.
Use a rinsing agent like Jet Dry.
However, sometimes it's not a film, but rather the glass is being etched. Try using liquid rather than powdered soap.
Use Jet Dry
Definitely start by using a liquid detergent. Then use jet dry. But if you have to much jet dry in your dishwasher, that white film comes also.
My plumber told me never to use powder in anything including laundry. Its bad for the pipes anyway.
You don't. It's called etching, and it is impossible to
remove. Toss the glass, and buy a new one.
Plain white vinegar. This is the best way to clean all the glass in your house your mirrors your windows your dishes. just mix it with a little water and it works so much better than anything you can by in the store like windex or dishsoap. and it is echo friendly.....
You won't....it's actually etched because of the amount of minerals in your water. A water softener might help but the glass that is etched is permanent.
pure white vinager.
If you have a water softener then it could be that your glasses are etched due to using too much detergent. All you need to use with a softener is about one tablespoon of detergent. No softener? Then it must be either hard water or gel soap buildup. Hard water... stay away from gel soap, if you disagree with this statement, use your finger and rub it at the bottom of the door, under the edge... feel that goop thats gel soap building up. If you have hard water use a simple product called Lemishine mix it 50/50 with your powdered detergent and use it in every load. The glasses will be clear. It will also clean up the inside. For an occasional clean, fill a cup with white vinegar and set it on the top shelf, run a cycle. This will give a strong clean, it is not recommended to do this more than a couple times a month.
Your water needs softening. You should have a water softener installed. They can be purchased or rented.
If you already have a water softener it may need salt or your salt may have bridged and needs breaking up. Then again it may not be cycling enough.How to get the white film out of glass that is washed in dishwasher?
Use Calgon or another water softener in your dishwasher.How to get the white film out of glass that is washed in dishwasher?
I agree with most of the answers but it could be your water. Try the jet dry. If you have hard water. If you have a water softener then it might be the problem.. It either needs filled with salt or you need a new one. Also sometimes the dishwasher soap will build up inside the dishwasher. Try running vinegar through an empty dishwasher and that will help clean up your dishwasher.
You can wipe them down with a clean cloth and white vinegar.
It works on shower doors so it will certainly work on glasses.
Use a rinsing agent like Jet Dry.
However, sometimes it's not a film, but rather the glass is being etched. Try using liquid rather than powdered soap.
Use Jet Dry
Definitely start by using a liquid detergent. Then use jet dry. But if you have to much jet dry in your dishwasher, that white film comes also.
My plumber told me never to use powder in anything including laundry. Its bad for the pipes anyway.
You don't. It's called etching, and it is impossible to
remove. Toss the glass, and buy a new one.
Plain white vinegar. This is the best way to clean all the glass in your house your mirrors your windows your dishes. just mix it with a little water and it works so much better than anything you can by in the store like windex or dishsoap. and it is echo friendly.....
You won't....it's actually etched because of the amount of minerals in your water. A water softener might help but the glass that is etched is permanent.
pure white vinager.
If you have a water softener then it could be that your glasses are etched due to using too much detergent. All you need to use with a softener is about one tablespoon of detergent. No softener? Then it must be either hard water or gel soap buildup. Hard water... stay away from gel soap, if you disagree with this statement, use your finger and rub it at the bottom of the door, under the edge... feel that goop thats gel soap building up. If you have hard water use a simple product called Lemishine mix it 50/50 with your powdered detergent and use it in every load. The glasses will be clear. It will also clean up the inside. For an occasional clean, fill a cup with white vinegar and set it on the top shelf, run a cycle. This will give a strong clean, it is not recommended to do this more than a couple times a month.
At what point do you realize that you don't have to wash out your beer glass because it s already sterilized?
by alcohol?At what point do you realize that you don't have to wash out your beer glass because it s already sterilized?
Who uses a glass? They come in bottles or cans for a reason.... Oh, wait, you don't buy those humongous big @zz bottles, do you? Like Jolly Green Giant sized?
Oh, darn, the Spell Checker annoying pop up messages are back. I guess their little coffee break is over.At what point do you realize that you don't have to wash out your beer glass because it s already sterilized?
I don't drink beer, but I think that whenever I drink my vodka.
True story, my mother used to say that was why I never got sick. (Sterilized daily)
Beer that's a good idea.
HAHAHAHA! LAWLZ! lol cool huh?student loan
Who uses a glass? They come in bottles or cans for a reason.... Oh, wait, you don't buy those humongous big @zz bottles, do you? Like Jolly Green Giant sized?
Oh, darn, the Spell Checker annoying pop up messages are back. I guess their little coffee break is over.At what point do you realize that you don't have to wash out your beer glass because it s already sterilized?
I don't drink beer, but I think that whenever I drink my vodka.
True story, my mother used to say that was why I never got sick. (Sterilized daily)
Beer that's a good idea.
HAHAHAHA! LAWLZ! lol cool huh?
Which one is better, using a glass cup and washing it or using a plastic cup and recycling it?
In my house we would like to think we are pretty eco friendly. We recycle the most on our block and and use flourescent light bulbs among other things. We also use both glass and plastic cups (which we recycle). Now I know the slogan recycle reduce reuse and we recycle the plastic and reuse the glass but which one is better. I know that with the glass we are using water and with the plastic we use so many so me and my aunt have been pondering this question for awhile. Is it better to use recyclable cups or reusable cups?Which one is better, using a glass cup and washing it or using a plastic cup and recycling it?
Recycling plastic takes a lot of energy. It's not even close to the energy it takes to clean even a gallon of water.
Washing the glass uses MUCH MUCH less resources than recycling plastic.
(Also, it's actually cheaper to make new plastic than recycle plastic.)Which one is better, using a glass cup and washing it or using a plastic cup and recycling it?
That's a great question, I wish more people cared! Truthfully, bending over the sink and drinking the water is the most eco friendly... BUT... since most of us are civilized, here are my thoughts...
Paper cups- can be composted, burned, recycled, ect.... but they come from trees... not so good... however you can get cups that are made from recycled material.
Glass- uses water to clean and reuse, pretty low impact, but not always the most convenient.
Plastic- If possible, avoid it... now if it comes down to Styrofoam then use plastic for sure, but it the energy and $ used to recycle plastic makes it a catch 22.
Good luck... sounds like a cool science project for a student!!!
Most so called environmental life cycle assessments say the reusable cup is more ecogroovy. Ultimately, you have to judge for yourself. If you break down all energy inputs like making the glass to begin with then you are only looking at one environmental factor, energy. The reality is that the env. impacts and their significance are in the eyes of the beholder. For example, I would think that an air impact such as collecting the cup and recycling it would be worse if it occurred in CA rather than in Hawaii.
Any activities that result in loss of habitat, they are the most environmentally destructive IMHO.
I always use a glass, but wait until I have a good pile of washing up before I fill my bowl with water.
More of a general thought rather than specifically answering the glass vs. plastic question, but I just want to clarify what a lot of people are saying already: reduce, reuse, recycle are NOT equal sides of a triangle! Almost always they should be done in exactly that order--reduce your consumption first, then reuse, and THEN, only if you cannot reduce and reuse, should you recycle. As other people here have already said, recycling takes a huge amount of energy, water, etc. We will save a lot more resources by reducing our consumption than we will by recycling an equal amount. (And of course, recycling is MUCH better than just tossing it into a landfill!) Just my 2 cents!
using a glass cup and washing it
There is one other option- paper cups. This would be particularly advantageous if the cups were made from post consumer waste and then recycled again.
Glass or paper is the concensus, but don't use hot water from the hot water tap for coffee as it can contain traces of copper, zinc, etc. Start with cold, preferably filtered.
It is best to use a good quality plastic cup, wash it and reuse. Reason is glass is much denser (heavier) than plastics. Glass requires more energy to process and is also more expensive and fragile to transport and to recycle compared to plastics.
Use the glass, wash it, then throw the grey-water on your outside plants. Not only does it not waste, but in this drought stricken area it would be greatly appreciated by any outside plant!
Tough question, no one answer. Because water in different areas has different energy and conservation requirements. And it depends on how much water- so play on the conservative side- and whether you use a dishwasher (only when full) And detergent- try low impact detergents (seventh generation) rather than ones with lots of chemicals flushing into the ocean or water-table.
One thing to remember, though- plastic is forever. It's a petroleum product. Most plastics don't bio-degrade, but under heat or pressure, they Do leach out toxins. And there's the carbon footprint of getting them made, packaged, to the shelf, and then, even if they're re-used at home, and then recycled once or twice- more energy, more distribution costs- then into a landfill. Forever and ever.
Sometimes there's just no getting around using plastic or plastic-coated paper- cups- for reasons of access, sanitation, etc.
However, glass is natural, ceramic is natural, they don't leach out toxins (unless there's an inorganic pigment in them in some high concentration and even then, it's usually sealed pretty well into the glass). And they can be used til they break, and re-cycled inefinitely, and they don't leach toxins into a landfill. It only takes one run to get a glass or ceramic cup to you. After that, it's just ' don't use highly chemically detergents, and use prudence in cleaining them. I prefer sinks to dishwashers- becasue sinks have no motor, no additional electricity besides whatever energy warms the water, and I don't heat sink-water to 140 degrees, so it seems less efficient for large loads but very efficient for rinsing a single glass a few times a day.
Whereas even a re-used and re-cycled plastic cup is a short term commitment to use, but a long-term commitmet to energy use to re-distribute it, and a permanent commitment to it, in your lifetime, as a discarded inorganic thing on earth.
Paper cups share similar costs in terms of very limited 're-use' and requiring heavy re-processing and re-distribution. But at least one's great great grandchildren don't marry it, the way buying a plastic cup is marrying them to it forever.
Maybe someone has the down-low on paper-versus-plastic in cups. But I'm thinking - with ordninary use and prudence with water and detergents- in descending order of eco-friendlyness, it goes ';glasses or ceramic mugs first, then paper cups, then plastic cups. It's not just the cup, its getting the cup to you. Using a glass or ceramic cup for five or ten or 20 years, versus re-using a plastic cup five times, before putting it into the re-processing, re packaging re-advertising and re-distribution cycles and then marrying it and it's heat and pressure byproducts to a landfill forever- seems like, well from that perspective, the math's not as complicated, even in a 'desert versus urban mountain runoff reservoir' and 'plain warm water versus dishwasher and commercial detergent' scenario. It goes through the production, packaging, advertising and distro cycle once or twice in 20 years.That's pretty efficient. And, to re-use a plastic cup five times before it breaks? You still have to wash it, so it's the same question as not-re-using the cup, if washing is the only energy consuming distinction.
Recycling plastic takes a lot of energy. It's not even close to the energy it takes to clean even a gallon of water.
Washing the glass uses MUCH MUCH less resources than recycling plastic.
(Also, it's actually cheaper to make new plastic than recycle plastic.)Which one is better, using a glass cup and washing it or using a plastic cup and recycling it?
That's a great question, I wish more people cared! Truthfully, bending over the sink and drinking the water is the most eco friendly... BUT... since most of us are civilized, here are my thoughts...
Paper cups- can be composted, burned, recycled, ect.... but they come from trees... not so good... however you can get cups that are made from recycled material.
Glass- uses water to clean and reuse, pretty low impact, but not always the most convenient.
Plastic- If possible, avoid it... now if it comes down to Styrofoam then use plastic for sure, but it the energy and $ used to recycle plastic makes it a catch 22.
Good luck... sounds like a cool science project for a student!!!
Most so called environmental life cycle assessments say the reusable cup is more ecogroovy. Ultimately, you have to judge for yourself. If you break down all energy inputs like making the glass to begin with then you are only looking at one environmental factor, energy. The reality is that the env. impacts and their significance are in the eyes of the beholder. For example, I would think that an air impact such as collecting the cup and recycling it would be worse if it occurred in CA rather than in Hawaii.
Any activities that result in loss of habitat, they are the most environmentally destructive IMHO.
I always use a glass, but wait until I have a good pile of washing up before I fill my bowl with water.
More of a general thought rather than specifically answering the glass vs. plastic question, but I just want to clarify what a lot of people are saying already: reduce, reuse, recycle are NOT equal sides of a triangle! Almost always they should be done in exactly that order--reduce your consumption first, then reuse, and THEN, only if you cannot reduce and reuse, should you recycle. As other people here have already said, recycling takes a huge amount of energy, water, etc. We will save a lot more resources by reducing our consumption than we will by recycling an equal amount. (And of course, recycling is MUCH better than just tossing it into a landfill!) Just my 2 cents!
using a glass cup and washing it
There is one other option- paper cups. This would be particularly advantageous if the cups were made from post consumer waste and then recycled again.
Glass or paper is the concensus, but don't use hot water from the hot water tap for coffee as it can contain traces of copper, zinc, etc. Start with cold, preferably filtered.
It is best to use a good quality plastic cup, wash it and reuse. Reason is glass is much denser (heavier) than plastics. Glass requires more energy to process and is also more expensive and fragile to transport and to recycle compared to plastics.
Use the glass, wash it, then throw the grey-water on your outside plants. Not only does it not waste, but in this drought stricken area it would be greatly appreciated by any outside plant!
Tough question, no one answer. Because water in different areas has different energy and conservation requirements. And it depends on how much water- so play on the conservative side- and whether you use a dishwasher (only when full) And detergent- try low impact detergents (seventh generation) rather than ones with lots of chemicals flushing into the ocean or water-table.
One thing to remember, though- plastic is forever. It's a petroleum product. Most plastics don't bio-degrade, but under heat or pressure, they Do leach out toxins. And there's the carbon footprint of getting them made, packaged, to the shelf, and then, even if they're re-used at home, and then recycled once or twice- more energy, more distribution costs- then into a landfill. Forever and ever.
Sometimes there's just no getting around using plastic or plastic-coated paper- cups- for reasons of access, sanitation, etc.
However, glass is natural, ceramic is natural, they don't leach out toxins (unless there's an inorganic pigment in them in some high concentration and even then, it's usually sealed pretty well into the glass). And they can be used til they break, and re-cycled inefinitely, and they don't leach toxins into a landfill. It only takes one run to get a glass or ceramic cup to you. After that, it's just ' don't use highly chemically detergents, and use prudence in cleaining them. I prefer sinks to dishwashers- becasue sinks have no motor, no additional electricity besides whatever energy warms the water, and I don't heat sink-water to 140 degrees, so it seems less efficient for large loads but very efficient for rinsing a single glass a few times a day.
Whereas even a re-used and re-cycled plastic cup is a short term commitment to use, but a long-term commitmet to energy use to re-distribute it, and a permanent commitment to it, in your lifetime, as a discarded inorganic thing on earth.
Paper cups share similar costs in terms of very limited 're-use' and requiring heavy re-processing and re-distribution. But at least one's great great grandchildren don't marry it, the way buying a plastic cup is marrying them to it forever.
Maybe someone has the down-low on paper-versus-plastic in cups. But I'm thinking - with ordninary use and prudence with water and detergents- in descending order of eco-friendlyness, it goes ';glasses or ceramic mugs first, then paper cups, then plastic cups. It's not just the cup, its getting the cup to you. Using a glass or ceramic cup for five or ten or 20 years, versus re-using a plastic cup five times, before putting it into the re-processing, re packaging re-advertising and re-distribution cycles and then marrying it and it's heat and pressure byproducts to a landfill forever- seems like, well from that perspective, the math's not as complicated, even in a 'desert versus urban mountain runoff reservoir' and 'plain warm water versus dishwasher and commercial detergent' scenario. It goes through the production, packaging, advertising and distro cycle once or twice in 20 years.That's pretty efficient. And, to re-use a plastic cup five times before it breaks? You still have to wash it, so it's the same question as not-re-using the cup, if washing is the only energy consuming distinction.
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