Crystal and China, and Dishwashers

[maytagbear]

Through circumstances beyond my control, it looks like I am going to have to do some heavy-duty entertaining in December. (Out of town family, church committees....)

I do put my Franciscan "Starburst" in the dishwasher, and have for years. They were Ma's wedding dishes, and they look as good in 2005 as they did in 1956.
I do not use the Starburst every day, but I do use it more than once a year.

My other dishes, Noritake's "Lace Shadow," and Fiesta, also get the big wash. Most of my Fiesta is new production (white, and the discontinued Juniper.)

I have so few pieces of Vintage Fiesta--so I have no problem with handwashing them.

Do you put your "good" dishes in the dishwasher?

Do you ever use the "china/crystal" cycle, if your machine has one? Mine doesn't.

Now, for the crystal. Hard-ish water, no mechanical softener.

Some of my crystal is thin Fostoria (forget the pattern name.) I've never put it in the machine, but I've never had to entertain back-to-back before.

My other set of crystal is heavy, heavy Franciscan. I have dishwashered it before.

I want to protect my nice things, but I also want a few minutes to myself in December, and I can think of more pleasant things than to wash dishes by hand.

What's been your experience, good and not-so-good about china and crystal in the machine?

 

[appnut]

Lawrence, my Mom put all her china & crystal in the dishwasher since their first machine, the Waste King, in 1958. She had mid 1940s china with gold trims and red roses. NONE of it showed any wear at all. And her sisters did the same with theirs and their machines were basic machines up until 1971. My mom used the pots/pans cycle on the initial waste king (prewash, main wash, rinse 1). Then the Fine China cycle on the next waske king; LIght Wash on the RotoRack; and finally on the GE like mine, China/Crystal, which has a very gentle wash. Miele & Bosch have china cycles that keep the temp at about 104 for main wash and 115 or 120 for final rinse.

My Mom had two very special pieces: a 12" or so Lennox creme platter with gold bands as well as a similar butter dish. They ALWAYS went in the machine. I was the ONLY other family member allowed to put them in there because she knew I'd be gentle with them and make sure they were placed carefully. Her crystal glasses always went in there too. There were even some antique glass fruit/dessert bowls from my grandmother she always put in there too. My mom's motto was, if it didn't go in the DW, it was rarely used.

I don't remember what your dishwawsher is. I have to scenario suggestions for ya. (1) Use your china/cristal cycle on your dishwasher, but do NOT run the hot tap water to get it hot b4 you start the machine. That way the temp won't get very high in the machine, if you hot water temp isn't like 150 degrees. (2) Another suggestion is to pre-rinse the dishware and rune the Rinse&Hold cycle 3 times--oncfe with detergent & twice as "rinse". Then open door & air dry.

 

[petek]

We don't have any "fine" china, it's Corelle and two sets of ironstone. The real silverware doesn't go in the dishwasher that's why we never use it much. The crystal wine glasses and tumblers do go in and some that are used quite often have etched slightly. I'd say go ahead but perhaps use a bit less dw powder

 

[toggleswitch]

A friend bought his GE DW because it had a china/crystal cycle. I personally thought that was ridiculous. Do these actually has less intensse water action as they used to at one time?

BTW==> Figidaire has *redisoverd* multi-speed motors with various levels of wash action. A *quantum leap*.. HA HA HA HA.
See link.

I like Bob's ideas..too much heat can't be good for dishes with gold and silver trim. I also was of the understanding that when a heated dry is used, one must allow the dishes to cool COMPLETELY before unloading. You dont want to touch them when the gold is hot and soft.

Loading…

www.frigidaire.com

 

[rayjay]

Lawrence, We have been putting our Royal Doulton China in the dishwasher for over 20 years. It has platinum trim. The trick is to use a NO HEAT DRY and as Steve says, let them cool completly. We never had a problem. Now for the crystal, Lenox and Waterford, we wash by hand. We used to put our Lenox crystal in, which has a platnum rim, but some of the platinum came off on one of the goblets. Defect? Not sure, so we wash them by hand.

 

[michaelman2]

This was a great question/post..I was wondering the same. I have glass plates that are antique with goblets and wine glasses..does anyone have a suggestion on automatic DW detergent that will not etch these?

 

[parunner58]

Lawrence,

My mom has Noritake china, my dad boughtif for her when he was in Korea in 1964. She has two patterns, one is white with a sterling silver band and the other has a raised rose with a gold band. She used these on holidays and family gatherings alot and we washed them many times in her GE Potscubber on the normal or power scub cycle. Nothing ever happend to them. As for Crystal she did not have any so I am not sure. My gut feeling is, use less DW detergent and no heat dry. I am of the thoughts of Bob's mom if you have to hand wash don't use it exception is, I do hand wash my Calphlon everyday.

 

[maytagbear]

None of my dishes

have metal trim, don't care for it.

Thanks for all your feeedback so far.

I usually don't use freaky amounts of detergent. If I use something in the open detergent cup, it is most often baking soda.

My dishwasher is a step up from BOL GE. The cycle options are regular, and pots and pans.

There is a water heat boost button, which I rarely use. Drying is switchable, and I usally have it off.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[appnut]

Toggle, GE doesn't have the "gentle" wash action on china/crystal cycles anymore. I don't know when that was stopped. This was actualoly achieved by having a shorter fill time resulting in aerated gentle water surges.

LG's new dishwashers also have "speeds".

I may be off base, but I do believe the F&P DD have a little bit gentler wash action as you go down the cycle cleaning scale. Glenn would know for sure with the tech/service manual he has.

 

[gadgetgary]

GE China/Crystal

A co-worker just bought a GE profile to replace her 4 yr. old KA(with a dead motor). Her DW has a china/crystal cycle. What exactly does that cycle do if it does not aerate the water as in the older GE models?

Gary

 

[DADoES]

F&P DishDrawers (and I assume KA and DCS) does have gentler water spray on the "Delicate" cycle, more intense spray on "Heavy." I've also noticed on some cycles the SmartDrive motor will pulse for a while during the main wash and/or final rinse. Not turn completely on/off, but gently pulse faster/slower/faster/slower. It's subtle, but I can tell by changes in the motor sound.

 

[toggleswitch]

Said:If I use something in the open detergent cup, it is most often baking soda.

What does that do?
Laundress is also good with chemicals.
Maybe she can enlighten me too.

 

[maytagbear]

baking soda-

Reduces/eliminates any waiting odors, and does cut grease/softens water.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[chachp]

I'll feel pretty, Oh so pretty...

...when I use my Noritake Bamboo dishes from the 30s and 40s. I use them everyday and have for years. I especially love having my coffee in the morning in a fine china cup and saucer (still humming I feel pretty!!). They have gold trim on every piece and heavy gold trim on the handles of the cups. I have not noticed any fading of the gold except on a few of the pieces. As far as etching is concerned my daily crystal is a combination of Noritake and Sasaki in a Bamboo pattern that is also very delicate and also from this same period. Only 1 or 2 out of my set have etched. In my opinion the fading gold trim and the etching seems to be an issue with individual pieces as compared to the entire set. Perhaps these were all hand made in those days and that explains why some fade and etch and others don't. I really don't know. My biggest issue is a partner who thinks you have to use some type of brute force to push the top rack in and sometimes they tumble over and break. These new machines simply weren't designed to hold these types of glasses so I have to be careful how I load them and how I move the racks in and out.

My former dishwasher was a Bosch and this one is a rebadged Bosch by Kenmore. Both heat the water to 160+ degrees in the Scrub cycle which I use exclusively, but use a condensation type drying system. I use only Cascase powder with the shine shield. So maybe that is the key. Use the hot water and detergent and a cold dry.