Stains On Vintage Dinnerware

[rp2813]

I've had a small platter since the mid '80s that I think could date back to the 1930s.  It's nothing special, but it's a handy size and I use it often.   I noticed a stain on it this week, the typical light brownish type, as I was preparing to load it into the dishwasher.  It has been machine washed many, many times over the years.

 

The last thing I used this platter for was a loaf of pumpkin bread.  Why that would have caused a stain, I don't know.  Could the finish have finally been compromised?  Is there any way to remove stains like this?

 

I can take a picture if necessary.

 

[circlew]

Ralph, try making a paste of Bar Keeper's Friend, and apply to the stained area Let set for about 15 minutes, rub gently, and rinse.

 

[rp2813]

Thanks Tom.  I think my buddy tried BKF on it last night, but it was dry and not enough of a paste so I'll give it another shot with a wetter mixture.

 

[combo52]

Stain on a ceramic platter

If the finish or glaze is worn on the platter stains can get into it by far the easiest way to remove something like that is a little bit of liquid chlorine bleach then put it through the dishwasher again.

John L

 

[rp2813]

Thanks John.  I tried the BKF paste and ended up going to bed without removing it, so it sat overnight.  That may have helped slightly.  I'll try the LCB and see how it goes.

 

After 80+ years, I guess the finish/glaze could finally be going.

 

[circlew]

Chlorine bleach would also have been my next suggestion. As you said, the glaze may be getting worn. If there are scratches or crazing, stains can get into the body of the ware, and be difficult to remove. One of my neighbors had an old ceramic pitcher that was stained, and I remember her soaking it in bleach water, and it coming out cleaner. Does the platter have any identifying marks? What shape is it? I have one that's rectangular with a clear glaze; it's the Century pattern by Homer Laughlin, the shape also used for the colored Riviera line.

 

[rp2813]

No identifying marks on the platter.  It has a thin gold trim around the rim, which is halfway worn off.  What I like about it is that it's no thicker than an average dinner plate and easily fits in the dishwasher.

 

My buddy suggested lemon juice and leaving it in the sun.  I know this works for mildew stains on clothing, but am not so sure it will work on the platter.  I'll try bleach first.

 

[tomturbomatic]

I don't think that acid is your platter's friend. Be very careful with acidic cleaners as they can have a bad effect on the glaze, although some stains might respond better to the reduction bleaching of an acid product versus the oxidation bleaching of chlorine bleach. Maybe in the future you can wrap the platter in a Saran Wrap type product to prevent exposing the surface to food pigments.

 

[foraloysius]

Just an idea. Have you tried to spray some water on it and put it out in the sun?

 

[rp2813]

Tom, the platter is nothing special, just my go-to because of its handy size.  It really isn't worth babying with plastic wrap.  Besides, when there's food on it, nobody will see the stains.  It just annoys me that it was fine one day and stained the next, after all of this time without any special care.  I swear the stains weren't there before I set a cooled loaf of pumpkin bread on it earlier this week.

 

Louis, can you expand on how water and sunlight would help?  I've removed mildew stains from clothing with lemon juice and sunlight, but this is my first attempt at removing stains from a ceramic item.

 

[henene4]

Ceramics have the unfortunate nature of being very poreus under the glass-like glasings.

In the end, a ceramic by definition is a powder pressed into shape and then melted into one single piece.
The powder (or powder in suspension - dosen't matter at the thousands of degrees your using to make ceramics ceramics) might melt together, but will often still have a "powder like" structure.

Many oven manufacturers warm that certain fruit juices (and in extend any sugary baking thing) can stain the enamel in ovens permanently.
And an enamel coating is just basically a baked on powder coating/glaze.

Once there are these thin hair line fractures there - basically invisible - any sugary residue can get into the porous part, get soaked up and oxidize.

I'd take a close look at the stain. It is usually quite easy to see if the stain is on top or in the ceramic.
With coffee stained cups you can usually tell that that layer is on the glaze, not in or below it.
If it is on it, treat it like you would coffee stains - so bleach heat time.
If it's under it, I wouldn't risk making things worse for the glaze.

 

[foraloysius]

Ralph,

I have no idea if it will work, but I thought about laundry being bleached in the sun. I remember my mother spreading whites outside on the lawn in the backyard and sprinkling it with a bit of water to get the maximum bleach effect of the sun. I sort of do the same with white polos with tomato stains that didn't get removed totally in the laundry. I hang them on a chair facing the sun while they are still a bit wet and after a few hours the stains are totally gone.

Perhaps putting the plate in the sun without some droplets of water may help too. I guess you just have to experiment. If it works, you didn't need any chemicals at all.

 

[sudsmaster]

Ralph,

I don't want to start a war, but I wouldn't rule out that your buddy may have put some sort of ink, dye, or oil on the platter by mistake and is afraid to fess up about it. Perhaps I would be also.

I would think it would be fairly easy to determine if the glaze is worn down to the ceramic base. If it's no longer shiny, that's a good clue, I would think. Although that alone might not indicate exposure of the ceramic base. I'm thinking of frosted glass etc.

Another possibility is to get a UV light on the moistened platter and see if that helps reduce the stain. UV is probably the part of sunlight that has bleaching capability. What kind of UV? Hell if I know. Google it.

Alternatively, get a new hunky platter and a new dishwasher that will fit it.

 

[combo52]

Or just go get a Corell platter at a thrift store.

They will fit in any dishwasher and don’t stain

John L

 

[rp2813]

More good suggestions.  I'm going to examine the platter closely to see if there's any difference in the finish where the stains are.  If that's the case, the platter is toast.  If not, I may just use it as is until it's no longer presentable.  I will try sunlight since it works on clothing.  It's apples and oranges, but it's worth a try.