How to Antique Discolored Porcelain

You can get your antique porcelain clean enough to serve on the dinner table.

Porcelain is a type of ceramic characterized by a hard, white, translucent glaze finish. Porcelain -- often called china, or porcelain china -- is used to make pottery, dolls and many other decorative items. Antique porcelain pieces can become stained or discolored, but this need not stop you from buying a piece you like. It's easier than you might think to clean old and fine porcelain. The process is time-consuming, but not at all complicated, and your reward will be porcelain pieces that are shining clean and in beautiful condition.

Things You'll Need

• Protective gloves
• Large plastic, lidded storage container(s)
• 3 or 4 32 oz.-bottles of 40% hydrogen peroxide

Instructions

1. 

   You should use a storage container that is large enough to hold a platter.

   Place the porcelain pieces you are cleaning in a plastic storage container that is large enough to accommodate a platter. You can clean several items in one container if they are small (like tea cups), but don't place platters on top of each other in one container.

2. 

   Take care not to let your bare hands come in contact with the peroxide.

   Put on protective gloves. Fill the container, or each container, with 40-percent hydrogen peroxide. Use one 32-ounce bottle per container. Make sure the items you are cleaning are completely submerged in the peroxide.

3. Place the lid securely over the container and allow the porcelain to soak in the peroxide. This can be a lengthy process; the porcelain may need to soak for several months to remove all the trapped grease that accumulates from long use. Check the peroxide periodically to make sure it is still clear and strong. When it becomes discolored, and/or develops an unpleasant smell, replace it.

4. Remove the porcelain after it is cleaned to your satisfaction and thoroughly cleanse it with soap and warm water to ensure that every trace of peroxide is gone.

Tips & Warnings

• Test-clean a piece (one that is less valuable) before soaking all your porcelain in peroxide.

• Some porcelain is too fragile to soak even for short periods of time. You can clean these by securely enfolding just the spots that are stained or discolored in peroxide-soaked rags, putting the rag-wrapped pieces inside a big garbage bag, and sealing it tightly to keep the rags wet. After a few days, they will dry out, and then you can re-soak them and wrap them around the stained spots again.

• Do not use chlorine bleach on fine or antique porcelain.

• Always wear protective gloves when handling peroxide.

• Do not soak pieces that have been previously repaired or restored. These can be seriously and even irreparably damaged by the peroxide.

References

• WorthPoint; How to Remove Stains From Your Antique China, Pottery and Porcelain; Maggie Turnipseed; May 2008
• Basic Antiques: Repairs Pewter, Silver & China
• Apartment Therapy; How to Clean a Porcelain Bathtub or Sink; Kimberly Watson; January 2011
• CollectionAntique.com: Clean and Bleach Your Antique Ceramics to Good Health! (Part Two)

Resources

• Chiff.com: To Clean or Not to Clean Fine Porcelain and How to Do It