Removing Stains From Ceramics

[e d o]

I recently acquired some nice saucers. Older ironstone with some nice crazing and some not so nice stains. Any ideas on removing the stains-if that's even possible?

[MarshalN]

What kind of stains?

[beachape]

More info would be helpful about the stains/material, but boiling vinegar works great for removing tea stains from porcelain and glass. Just don't burn yourself or take a big whiff.

[wyardley]

I'd try a paste of water and baking soda (or baking powder). Or denture cleaner (or some other type of oxygen bleach), especially if you can find an unscented one.

[e d o]

I'm not sure what made the stains. Some are brown. Some black. I did try soaking in some water with a lot of baking soda. That didn't do too much good. Oddly, after the items were rinsed well and left to air dry they were covered with soda again. I guess some gets absorbed and then migrates to the surface as the items dry out. I'll try vinegar next. If anyone else has any ideas, I'd happily give that a try too.

[wyardley]

Some black. I did try soaking in some water with a lot of baking soda.

Try scrubbing the stains (lightly) with a paste of water and baking soda. Don't make it too abrasive.

[MarshalN]

Bleach will solve your problems, I think

[Chip]

The staining
is in the crazing?

If so, will anything really help? If it is more surface, sure, but if the stains are deep into the crackles and into the "ironstone" I doubt anything would fully remove them.

Also, won't anything with an aroma seep into the crazing as well and linger?

[Herb_Master]

The staining
is in the crazing?

If so, will anything really help? If it is more surface, sure, but if the stains are deep into the crackles and into the "ironstone" I doubt anything would fully remove them.

Also, won't anything with an aroma seep into the crazing as well and linger?

Pictures in my mind of Chip with a house full of Cups and Bowls yet drinking out of saucers

[JP]

Bleach will solve your problems, I think

If it's tea stains then the solution might turn blue! Happened to relative of mine, but it got the stains out of the milk glass porcelain cup.

[Chip]

Pictures in my mind of Chip with a house full of Cups and Bowls yet drinking out of saucers

Ummm, no. Still strong bleach or vinegar aroma may not be desirable?

[Riene]

I use a microfiber sponge to get misc stains off of my porcelain and glass dishes. They work well for hard water deposits, iron and tea stains.

[cinnamongurlee]

i am a huge fan of oxyclean for all stains. make a paste and see if it comes out

[brose]

Dont use bleach! I remember bleaching coffeecups at a restruant I used to work at and the cups lost their glaze and stained permenanetly after a single use. It can eat away the glaze.