Home › Home & Kitchen › Kitchen & Dining › Dining & Entertaining › Glassware & Drinkware › Decanters & Carafes How to Dry a Decanter Published: July 9, 2026 · Updated: July 9, 2026
After rinsing a decanter, turn it upside down on a decanter drying stand (or over a rolled towel) so the water drains out of the narrow neck, and leave it until it's completely dry inside. A drying rod wrapped in microfibre reaches the bottom, and storing it dry with the stopper off keeps water spots and a musty smell away.
Recommended Invert on a drying stand until fully dry inside, reach the base with a microfibre rod, and store with the stopper off — A decanter's narrow neck and wide base trap water, which dries into cloudy spots and can turn musty, so drying it properly matters as much as washing it. First drain it: turn it upside down on a purpose-made decanter drying stand, or balance the neck over a rolled tea towel or an upturned bottle, so gravity pulls the water out of the neck. Air is what finishes the job, so leave it inverted somewhere airy until there's no moisture left inside — often several hours. To speed it up or reach a stubborn wet base, use a decanter drying rod (a bent rod with a microfibre cover) or push a lint-free cloth in with a long wooden spoon and dab it dry. If hard water has left spots, swirl a little white vinegar (or vinegar with rice or crushed ice as a gentle abrasive) inside, then rinse and dry again. Finally, store the decanter completely dry and with the stopper left out or alongside, not pushed in, because a sealed stopper traps the last of the moisture and makes it smell stale. Handle it by the body, and never dry a decanter in a dishwasher.
