Corningware stains

[veg-o-matic]

Over the past coupla months, I've read some threads about how "real" Corningware isn't available any more. We never had any in the house (other than a never-used perc Mom picked up at a tag sale), so I have no experience with it.

So there I was at the Goodwill on Saturday and a nice cornflower 2.5Q casserole--with lid--said it wanted to go home with me. As it was only 2 bucks, I said yes and figured a trip through the Kitchenaid would be enough to kill any potential cooties.

Well, it's cootie-free, but there's a small problem. The inside bottom has what looks like spoon marks on it. Kind of like the marks aluminum pans leave on porcelain sinks. Anyone know of a way to remove them? It's really no big deal, but the durn think looks brand-new other than that.

Oh great. Something else to collect.

veg

 

[maytagbear]

For my money--

The best way to do that is Bon Ami powder.

It even says "CorningWare" on the packaging.

Baking soda as a scouring powder witll also work, but takes a lot more baking soda.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[maytagbear]

Oh,

and those marks are because the CorningWare is much harder than the metal.

L/Mb

 

[gadgetgary]

The inside bottom has what looks like spoon marks on it.

Oh my~!

If they are not skid marks, Barkeepers Friend might just do the trick~!

 

[frontaloadotmy]

Thank God

You got it before the make over! Here's what you do CB.
Drop about 6 Advil at least a half hour before you do this;
making sure they've kicked in! Sit in chair and place the business end of the casserole over your head and give it a Sam Clemens mane spinning for about 15 to 20 minutes. The metal stains will attach to and be absorbed by your beautiful
"Silver" . No don't get all bent outta shape CB; I'm just funnin ya! Maybe try some Bon Ami or Barkeepers Friend on a
small inconspicuous area; if it doesn't clean up, just keep it filled with "Fairy Pudding" xoxx Smoof

 

[gadgetgary]

And directly to you from a genuine Corning ware brochure:

GREY MARKS:

Some forks, knives, spoons, or other stirring utensils made of soft metal may leave grayish marks. They may be removed with cleansing powder on a damp cloth or sponge. Avoid metal scouring pads.....they, too, leave gray marks which must then be removed.

 

[mint46]

Barkeepers Friend is my best friend. I am awful about clanking my stainless pots and pans around the sink while washing and since my sink is an americast by amercian standard...the metal leaves marks. I use it if something leaves a mark on the kitchen counters too. Glad to see some others here like barkeepers friend! I suspect it will help tremendously on the corningware.

 

[panthera]

Toothpaste

I have a lot of white Corning cookware - and have found that toothpaste removes those "metalic" stains very quickly and without scratching.
Many years ago I started treating my Corning as if it were teflon coated - and that put an end to nearly all the problems. Wood and silicone just don't leave marks.
Or dull - as was said here a few times, Corning is much harder than steel and just hell on knives.

 

[toggleswitch]

Wood and silicone just don't leave marks.

oh please just hold me back! *LOL*

 

[chachp]

Ditto on the Barkeeper's Friend

I use an awful lot of it in my sink and I bet it would work very well in your Corningware.

 

[veg-o-matic]

I had no idea...

You could use scouring powder on Corningware! I figured it was kind of delicate.

I've got something under the sink that might be Barkeeper's Friend. Will drag it out and give it a go.

Thanks for the help, gennlemen.

veg

Oh, and P.S. to Smoofy: I already tried that but it didn't work. Was I supposed to take off my aluminum foil hat first?

 

[gansky1]

For those thrift store finds that seem like are too far gone with grease stains and improper care through the years, run them through a self-cleaning oven cycle and they'll be as good as new. The Maryland boys have an older, self-cleaning range just for cleaning these among other parts that need a thorough blast of clean.

 

[gadgetgary]

I've got something under the sink ..Will drag it out and

Oh Veg,

Is that part of your 'mid-life' crisis?

Open the door and let it out~!

 

[mixfinder]

Fry the Sucker

To follow on Gansky's suggestion:

I had a second store and sold only 50's and 60's kitchen stuff.

I drug nasty stuff home from five states and cleaned it up to sell.

I used my Frigidaire self cleaning oven, almost daily to clean the following:

Anything Aluminum, including bakeware, Calphalon (anondized) Magnalite, Wagner Ware, Gaurdian Service etc.

Any thing Pyrex or Corning Ware

Cast Iron

Waffle grids

and around the house, burner pans and BBQ grates

If it's really dirty it stinks the house up.

Never clean anything stainless steel or chrome. It comes out nasty, and dull blueish.

Nothing wood or plastic of course, so always remove handles and trim.

I have put items covered in Teflon in the self cleaning oven and when it comes out, presto bango, no Teflon. We all breathed Toxic Fumes.

I piled both racks full, with everything facing down so the grease and ash would fall into the bottom of the oven.

Mr. Muscle, sprayed on dry glass, chrome or stainless items and left to sit an hour makes all kinds of crud slip off.

That said, you never heard it from me. This is the official DISCLAIMER. Your instruction book tells you to remove racks and everything from the oven and never use it to clean anything else.

GE and Kenmore have started using porcelain coated racks so when they are self cleaned, they don't become dull and sticky, like the old style.

Kelly

 

[gansky1]

Kelly,
How does the Calphalon come out in the self-clean? I know people who put theirs in the dishwasher and it's horrible looking. I wondered if a coating of oil and a self-cleaning cycle would spruce them up a bit...

 

[mixfinder]

Calphalon

I cleaned the commercial grade Calphalon repeatedly. We used it at the college where I taught. Over time, I noticed the handles began to turn a golden color. The coating on Calphalon naturally wears and where spoons and whisks have a pattern, it doesn't take long to see metal. I did not notice a perceptable change in the function of the anondizing. Again, it was commercial grade, purchased through a supplier, but I think the coating just is. I haven't heard of levels or grades.
Give it a whirl. If it doesn't make it, I can pick some up here and send it to you. There is a local thrift for AIDS funded programs. I have found designer clothes, amazing furniture and often nice cookware.
Kelly
Kelly

 

[tlee618]

There use to be a product made called "delete" it was made by the Drackett Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. I still have a can of it that was my moms. On the front label it is called a Plishing Cleanser for all smooth top stoves, Corning, Cooking Appliances and Corning Ware cookware. It works really great on getting these marks off. Something to look for at the sales! I wonder if anyone else remembers this product? Terry

 

[panthera]

Steve,

Now why would I want to...hold your back...I bet there are more interesting parts to...oh, sorry. You wrote "hold me back" and I read...
Never mind.
Just never mind.
Barkeepers friend and "Delete" both worked for the same reason Pearl White or any toothpaste/baking soda work - the abrasives in them have a higher melting point than metal, lower than corning ware.
I have cleaned a lot of stuff in self-cleaning ovens, too - and wonder if they would make it through the air-safety standards of today...over here in Germany they have pretty elaborate catalysators and activated charcoal filters...and I still feel like I should leave the house when they run.
I'd be awful hesitant to put anything aluminum in one of these ovens, unless I knew for certain that it could take it. A lot of "aluminum" stuff being sold now-a-days is not of high-quality alloys but really cheap stuff.

 

[tomturbomatic]

There are some stains that get into Corning Ware that neither the self cleaning oven nor anything else seems to remove. John and I have found some with sort of light brown spattery, blotchy stains, like maybe the pieces went through a fire, and we have tried burning, bleaching, rubbing, etc and the stains remain.

I just finished putting a whole load of Guardian Service through the self-cleaner in the appliance court. Now the pieces just need polishing before being packed away for display in the museum one day. I did not put the domed covers in, fearing they would emerge doomed instead of domed. I know that Corning Ware Pyrex lids will survive, but these pans and covers are old, precious and belonged to a former co-worker and friend and his wife and, after his death, she gave them to me when she downsized to a Florida condo. What I am going to do with the glass covers is wait for another really hot sunny day, then take a black trash bag and individually spray the underside of each cover with oven cleaner, then turn it over and place it further into the bag and start with the next cover. After they are all in the bag, I spray the tops. By spraying them inside the bag, any overspray is not wasted and helps the cleaning because when it is covering the inside surfaces of the bag, any part of the bag that touches the covers will add to the oven cleaner on the glass, not rub it off. When I have them all in, I tuck the open ends under to hold in the heat and moisture. At the end of the afternoon, the hard crusty gunk is soft, brown lye soap and it rinses away beautifully. There is no risk of scratching them by scouring so it's a pretty safe cleaning method. This works great for oven racks, too.