How can I remove stains from old ceramic plates?
Question:I have a set of antique dishes that are stained from years of being exposed to nicotine/cigarette smoke. Soaking them in bleach has helped a little, but the dishes are still discolored. Is there anything that will clean them?
Thanks.
Answers:
Unfortunately, the finish on the ceramic is rather porous. If you have used bleach, you have done about as much as you can. Anything more harsh than bleach (either acetic or basic) is likely to etch the fired finish and ruin the plates altogether.
Look very closely at the finish. Do you see any "crazing" of the finish (tiny, spidery lines)? If so, the glaze has already been compromised, and the stains have actually seeped below the glaze and permeated the porcelain underneath. In that case, there's nothing you can do about the staining.
One last shot at it: You can try sun exposure. Some staining will actually sun-bleach, but doing this can also potentially fade any pattern on the plates.
I'm not sure I'd want to mess with antique dishes. If you really want to try something, I'd use a mild soft cleanser like "Soft Scrub", that's what they recommend for stains on new dishes.
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