With all the hullaballoo going on for the festive season, you are left with little time or no time at all to prepare the house and clean the knick knacks. Plan ahead; prepare a list and try to create a schedule for all the cleaning, dusting, mopping and shopping. Pay attention to details, like are your diyas or dipaks clean for the puja? Cleaning the diya can be quite tedious, especially, if you perform your pujas regularly. Let’s find out how you can keep your them shiny with minimum effort.
Clean your brass diya naturally
After years of use, the brass diyas normally retain a black stain which refuses to go with plain water. You need something extra for it. Prepare a natural concoction with one tablespoon of salt and two to three tablespoons of vinegar. Rub the concoction over the diya, and remove all the stains; rinse it with running water and wipe it with a soft cloth and it will soon shine like new. You can also remove the grime with lemon as well. Both vinegar and lemon have acidic properties which remove the black stains.
Protecting the painted diyas
As compared to brass diyas, the painted clay diyas need to be handled more delicately. Although buying new ones is always an option, often the old diyas have sentimental values which make them precious and close to our heart. Cleaning painted diyas can be tricky because the abrasive chemicals can strip the paint and damage the diya. You can use the soft brush attachment from your vacuum cleaner to remove the dust from the surface. It is best to avoid water because water can damage the paint and wipe it off. Use a soft cloth to get the nooks and crevices and remove the dust. With oil-based paint, you can use a cloth soaked in lukewarm water and make it shiny again.
Provide a fresh coat of paint
This year, you can opt for a green eco-friendly Diwali and bring out the old diyas from last year. Wipe them carefully with a soft cloth soaked in lukewarm water and let them dry. Give them a new lease of life by providing a fresh coat of paint on the diyas. You can use simple watercolour or better oil paint to make them sustainable. Recycle the old diyas and make them as good as new with least effort and minimum expenses.
Store your diyas properly
Always remember that the durability of the diyas depends a lot on the way you store them. If the diya or dipak is made of copper, brass or bronze you can wrap it in muslin and store it in a cardboard box. The muslin cloth will protect the diya from damage and help to keep away moisture away from it. The clay diyas should be individually wrapped in bubble wraps or newspapers and stacked properly in a box. It is best to take a case with in-built compartments to store the clay diyas so that they do not rub against each other and get damaged. Put the box somewhere, preferably in a loft where there are fewer chances of jostles, nudge and breakage.
Removing oil stains from diyas
The diyas used for the puja usually burn for a long time and because oil is used, we often notice that the stain becomes sticky and stubborn. One of the ways to clean the diya is to immerse it in warm water for at least an hour to make the stains less stubborn. You can wipe the stain with a tissue paper or newspaper and then apply a mixture of tamarind with liquid dishwasher soap on the body. If you cannot reach the corners, you can always use a toothbrush for better cleaning.
Shine your silver diyas
If silver diyas are kept confined for long, they tend to get tarnished and oxidized. With all the preparations going on, you just need a quick fix for your silverware. Mix boiling water with baking soda in a large pan and immerse your silver diya inside it after covering the pan tightly with a large aluminium foil. After immersing the silver diya for about five minutes, bring them out and clean it with a neat cloth or wipe. You may have to repeat the method several times before the stains come out.
These tips are not at all time-consuming and it will take only minutes to clean your precious diyas. This festive season, bring in wealth and prosperity inside your home by lighting the beautiful diyas. Opt for any of these ways to clean the diya. And once you see the shine in them, it will definitely bring a smile to your face!
Effective ideas.. thanks for sharing