Cleaning Off a Menorah In Time For Chanukkah
By the way, we interestingly somehow (at least in Ashkenazi circles), as I have come to learn, pronounce the “ח” as “ch” when we should pronounce it as “kh” (Incidentally, this might be relatable to how the Spanish pronounce a “j” as an “h”; whereas the Latins pronounce the “j” as a “y”, as do the Slavs. The difference, of course, is that Askhenazi Jews are originally Jews, whereas the Iberians were not originally Latinos. Anyway….)
I went to trying to figure out how to clean off my chanukkiah (See below.). Having previously learned tips from Hebrew4Christians (which is basically a Reform/Liberal Nazarene website∗) and tips from other websites, I eventually came up with my own tips:
- Use a fork instead of a butter knife to dig out any candle wax (Trust me; a knife, let alone a butter knife, does not work.) The low blow-dryer setting works only so well, and the high blow-dryer setting is what I recommend for the most part.
- Use Borax®, baking soda, vinegar, and hot water. Clean the chanukkiah with a cloth in a bowl of the four aforementioned ingredients (of course, with dipping the cloth in said bowl). Rinse the chanukkiah with hot water. I myself use the four ingredients, then all but the water for a recleaning. Also rinse with hot water during the recleaning. For extra cleaning, use a natural and/or organic cleaner (I use Mrs. Meyer’s ® Clean Day cleaner.). You may want to apply the cleaner after you use the baking soda, etc.; and before you rinse the chanukkiah. For drying, use the blowdryer.
- By the way, make sure that you’re keeping the cloth clean once in a while.
And the 1980s chanukkiah that my mom got at a party to which a then coworker invited her looks (except for that it’s been touched a few times since it was clean today) like it’s new:
∗Needless to say, I no longer support that site; since John Parsons, the site’s owner, made extremely clear that he does not believe in the immutability/inerrancy and infallibility of Tanakh, and he does not like those who confront his position. Nonetheless, I am linking to the page in question because I generally do not believe in taking ex-post-facto actions; and it gives basically-good tips.
