How to Clean Melamine Dishes

Melamine dishes are popular because they are durable, yet lightweight, and come in many designs, colors and styles. They're made of smooth thermoplastic which is shatter-resistant. They are resistant to food stains as well. Melamine dishes aren't without their weaknesses, though. They can be scratched and they can also break. Because melamine dishes absorb heat, they're not suitable for use in microwave ovens. Exposure to excessive heat can damage them.

Things You'll Need

• Dish mat
• Dish cloth
• Mild dishwashing liquid
• Dish drainer
• Dish towel

Instructions

1. Place a stopper in the kitchen sink. Then, place a dishmat in the bottom of the sink to protect the dishes from possible damage. Place the melamine dishes in the sink. Add a squirt of mild dishwashing liquid. Don't use chlorine-based detergents because they can fade the color of melamine dishes.

2. Fill the sink with warm water. Wash the dishes with a dish cloth, but don't use scouring powder on melamine as it can scratch it.

3. Rinse the clean dishes thoroughly with warm water. Place them in a dish drainer to air-dry, or hand dry them with a dish towel. Either drying method works equally well.

Tips & Warnings

• Some melamine dishes are marked as being "dishwasher safe". Still, washing dishes in a machine will cause them to fade faster.

References

• The Picnic Basket

Resources

• Safe Mama
• Food Service Warehouse