Trophies and awards are made of different types of materials, and they should be treated with respective ways. This trophy care guide helps you understand how to keep any type of trophy in pristine condition and enable the trophies to be displayed for generations.

Ways to Clean Trophies and Awards Made of Different Materials

1.Glass and Crystal Trophies 

If your glass or crystal trophies have accumulated a bit of dust, you do not require any special polish agents or water to remove the dirt, dander, or hair. Just wipe out debris and dust with a duster or soft microfiber cloth, then the trophies will look as new. How much the dust is typically in the air where you place the trophies determine how often you need to dust off the glass and crystal trophies. Yet, if there is any water spot, spill, or stains on your trophies, it’s going to take a bit more than a simple dusting. You need to take a microfiber cloth and spray the regular window cleaner to wipe away the stains, spill or water spots. Never spray glass cleaner directly onto trophies and awards made of glass or crystal, and besides, be careful if you make your own glass cleaner out of diluted white vinegar. The higher the vinegar concentration, the higher the possibility your trophies be damaged.

2.Silver Awards

Silver tarnishes readily and fast in a damp environment, so it's necessary to maintain your silver trophies once a month. The maintenance of silver trophies is somewhat delicate. You can only polish the trophies in one direction instead of polishing them in circles or back and forth. 

You can place your trophies and awards in a display case or pack them away for storage. The packaging sachets will help absorb moisture in the air and reduce tarnishing and restrict air circulation which slows any tarnishing. Or you can use desiccated silica gel within the cabinet to keep humidity to a minimum. The sooner you spot any tarnishing the better, it is easily removed when you first notice a yellowish tint but it will get harder with time.

3.Gold Awards

Pure gold is not likely to tarnish, but trophies that are gold-plated can. The possibility of the trophy made of pure gold is very unlikely. Use mild-warm water and a soft cloth to gently clean the surface of gold trophies and awards, and then rinse it with a clean, soft cloth dipped in clear water. Dry your gold trophy and award with a soft microfiber cloth and avoid scrubbing or using any harsh pastes and polishes which may damage your trophy. You can also polish your gold-plated custom awards with a polishing cloth.

4.Zinc Trophies 

Zinc trophies and awards tend to get color-plated; therefore, you need to be careful when cleaning them. Avoid using vinegar or lemon juice to clean your color-plated zinc trophies because you may remove the plating on the trophies' surfaces. Use mild soapy water to clean the dust or stains on the trophies but do not use any polishing pastes designed for other metals.

5.Wooden Trophies 

In case your trophy or award has wood elements such as a wood base or wooden decorations, the wooden trophies and awards should not be immersed into the water or cleaned with a wet cloth. The wooden trophy will easily go moldy once contact with moisture. If you’d like to clean the wooden trophies, you can use wood furniture polish and spray it onto a soft, microfiber cloth and slightly wipe the trophies. Remember not to spray the wood furniture polish on the metal parts of the trophy, as just as the water can damage wood, furniture polish can damage or make some metals fade.         

6.Resin Trophies 

Resin trophies look stunning and give off a sense of vintage. Resin trophies are often classified into soccer ball trophy and resin rugby trophy. They are mainly applied to the sports fields. For example, many companies would like to custom awards, especially the soccer goalkeeper trophies to honor their players. The cleaning way of these resin trophies is easy; just wash them with warm, soapy water before drying them thoroughly.

How to Clean Detailed Parts of Trophies and Awards?

If the trophies and awards have a lot of detailed or intricate parts, such as several nooks and crannies, you can use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean the areas where are hard to reach. Avoid scrubbing so as to accidentally scratch your awards and trophies.

How to Pack and Store Trophies and Awards

Do not wrap your trophies in the newspaper, but instead use tissue paper or seal each trophy in a plastic bag made of polyethylene. Never use rubber bands to secure anything as they can damage metals like silver. If you’re packing trophies and awards that can tarnish or be damaged by moisture, use silica sachets in the box to store them.

Knowing all these maintenance tips, you can keep your personalized trophies and awards protected, dust-free and glossy for years. Just remember that most trophies can only be cleaned with a soft, micro-fiber cloth and some gentle soapy water. Never scrub the trophies rudely. Avoid using commercial polishes as less as possible.