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Have you ever passed up purchasing a wonderful piece of art pottery, flow blue, transferware or any other collectable ceramic or porcelain because it had horrible crazing or other stains? I know I have. Condition, condition, condition is the mantra that has been drilled into our heads. Only buy the best when purchasing our collectables and antiques.
However, it is possible to improve the condition of your china, pottery and porcelain finds using a cleaning solution.
Here’s the method I use to make my art pottery, porcelain and china bright and white.
The 40% peroxide solution
First, use only 40% hydrogen peroxide. This is not the peroxide you buy at the drug store. You need to buy the stronger type that is found at a beauty supply store. Always wear protective gloves to protect your skin from the burning peroxide.
I usually use a good size plastic storage container that can be sealed. I use plastic storage boxes that are large enough to lay a platter flat on the bottom. I will generally purchase 3 to 4 large 32 oz bottles of peroxide and pour into the plastic container. I soak the items sometimes for a month, and up to 6 months. I like my items to be completely covered as they soak.
The peroxide loses strength over time. You will know when to replace the peroxide because it tends to get discolored, and starts to have an odor. The brown crazing is usually old grease that has become trapped in the crazing of the glaze. This old grease darkens with age.
If I have a piece of porcelain that is more delicate, and I don’t want it soaking in peroxide for any length of time, I simply wrap the piece in old white rags soaked in peroxide, only putting the wet rags on the spots that need whitening. I place it in a large trash bag, and seal it. If using trash bag method, the rags will need re-soaking every few days, as they dry out.
Clean your pieces very carefully
Use great care with any cleaning method. It’s a good idea to try the method on an inexpensive piece before attempting to clean valuable pieces. After you have the piece as clean as you can, wash it with soap and warm water to clean off and residue of the peroxide.
NEVER USE CHORINE BLEACH! This will destroy the pottery, porcelain or ceramic piece. It literally eats it from the inside out. It makes the glaze flake of the piece.
Also, please make sure that you carefully look over any piece that you are going to soak. If restoration or repair has been made on a piece of pottery, porcelain or ceramic, chances are the piece will be ruined in this cleaning process. If in doubt ask a specialist in restorations before you try this.
Along the way, I try not to over-clean a piece. I don’t want to remove all the age; I just want the piece to display nicely. And if I’m careful, that’s just what happens.
Careful cleaning gets great results
Bear in mind, though, that I have even used this method on a piece of Limoges that was trimmed in gold, and it did not harm the gilt design, even though it was so badly discolored it had to soak for months.
As you’ll see, with patience, a little work and a lot of time, a bargain-priced and slightly-damaged collectable can be cleaned and its value increased.
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on Friday, May 23rd, 2008 at 10:37 am and is filed under Articles, Blog Entry, Ceramics, Porcelain, Pottery and Clay.
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Great post! I wish I had seen this a few weeks ago when I found an entire set of crazed china in boxes that appeared ruined because of dirty crazing. But I wish the article had mentioned whether the porcelain is food safe after this treatment. Obviously, you would hopefully not eat off dishes with dirty crazing, but what if it becomes clean again?
I’ve used a polstice of non-chlorine bleach effectively. I also have heard that some people “bake” the piece in the oven after using peroxide. Any thoughts?
I have also had success removing stains with the new “Magic” Scrubber pads that remove marks from walls. Try marks on the bottom of the item first and don’t SCRUB hard. Hope this helps someone!
Important….do not use a gas oven to remove the peroxide from the dish as hydrogen peroxide is volatal. If there is grease residue after soaking the item, put the it into a cold electric oven and raise temp only to 175 degrees for up to 30 min. Use warm water with mild detergent to remove the grease. Can be repeated if necessary.
Any recommendations with smoke and soot damage after a fire?
I have been using good ole Dawn with good success with a lot of pieces — but not all — or in crevasses.
Thanks
I’ve been using your method for a long time and whole heartedly support it. However, what to do when one has old (c.1840s) gilded china? I’m not brave enough to submit them to the peroxide. I think it will just irreparably tarnish the metallic color.
tried soaking same in strong solution of boraxo in water (c0vered). this did work but, only up to a point.
I have used hydrogen peroxide on pieces that had gold trim .
I had success and it soaked for a couple of months because the stains were so bad. Believe it or not there was no change to the color of the gold trim. It is always a risk to use chemicals on antiques.
Why don’t you try soaking some paper towels in the Peroxide and lay them on the areas that are still stained. Put the plate in a sealed plastic bag and make sure they remain moist. It may take a long time to work. With patience hopefully this will work for you.
Good luck!
Maggie
Hi Maggie, I am trying to get stains out of an old shelley dinner set. Do I use the peroxide alone or do I dilute with water. Will it remove stains from hairline cracks. The peroxide I have brought says 40 vol 12% is that ok. thanks so much julie
Julie,
Use it straight out of the bottle. Do not dilute.
It should work on all the stains. Sometimes it does take a bit of time , so be patient.
Maggie
I stored two beautiful old china serving pieces for several years wrapped in bubble wrap. They had crazing when I packed them. When I unwrapped them they were so gross. The crazing is very dark now and there are dsrk random stains. Could the plastic bubble wrap have caused the discoloration? I will get 40% peroxide and try it. Sure hope it works, I love these dishes!.
Michelle,
I have not seen that happen before with bubble wrap. I suspect that the serving pieces were freshly washed and still were not completely dry when the bubble wrap was placed on them. There must have been moisture that had seeped into the crazed areas. I believe this is what caused the discoloration along with old grease. Follow the steps and they should be back to normal and ready for your Thanksgiving table before you know it!
Thank you for using WorthPoint.
Maggie
My two beautiful china serving pieces were spot free and prettier than ever today for Thanksgiving dinner. The peroxide works like magic and leaves the finish cleaner and clearer than before. Very nice! Thank-you for the great tip. Happy Thanksgiving 2011 and God Bless America!
I have two plates one is 100 yrs and the other maybe 125 yrs old. They are stained or have darken w/age. They are porcelain with portraits.What can be done with them.?
When unsure about the process to use ,it is best just to leave the piece alone. When items have survived 100 to 125 years, there is nothing wrong with allowing items to age gracefully
Sorry, they are packed and have been sent to Philadelphia.
I have used peroxide several times to clean crazed pottery with good results. It doesn’t work quite as well on porcelain in my experience.
My technique is slightly different and quicker but still using 40 vol hydrogen peroxide obtained from hairdressers or their wholesalers.
I soak cotton-wool in peroxide and apply it to the stained areas. I then apply clingfilm over it to keep it in place and prevent evaporation. Then I put the item in my kitchen oven at around 50 to 80 degrees centigrade for a few hours, maybe even overnight. The higher the temperature the less time is needed. Let the item cool slightly before removing the film and cotton and wash thoroughly with warm water and detergent to remove any fatty deposits on the item. The cotton wool will be yellow or brown with fat and grime.
One disadvantage is that it removes the paint from some restoration so I wouldn’t recommend it if you think your item might have been restored
My thoughts are just to make sure you very gradually heat and cool the piece, as the heat process could create more crazing to the glaze. It is the crazing that has allowed the oil and grease to penetrate the glaze and discolor in the first place.
Hello Maggie,
I received a beautiful lidded 18thc sugar bowl for Christmas. But it has large darkened areas of brown both inside and out. I plunged it into bleach and then decided to do a google search on cleaning antique porcelain :( I have since plucked the sugar bowl from the bleach! And I am wondering if I can still use the peroxide now. Help!