Now I have been away for a while, taking care of business as one usually says. However, I have not forgotten that my last post stated that in this series I am blogging about fine china and said that I would talk about how to care for it. It is so important that if you take the time to choose a china pattern or are given a beautiful set, that you know how to keep from damaging it. Damage can very well occur if you don't know the do's and don'ts of it. Certainly, if you take a good long look at Grandma's set, you will see the evidence of damage occurring over the years and wonder how it could have been avoided.
Many fine china manufacturers have different suggestions for caring for china and the same goes for solutions to addressing the damage. Lenox china, being one of the premier china manufacturers shares the following information to help you preserve your fine china dinnerware. I have included a few of my own tips here as well.
Preparing to wash your fine china dinnerware.
First, remember to never purposely scrape your away remaining scraps of food from your china, especially with a metal utensil like a fork or knife. Rinsing the dish off shortly after eating with warm water before the food has time to stick is a good rule of thumb.You will want to avoid letting highly acidic foods like spaghetti sauce sit on the surface for too long as it may stain. You will want to have a rubber mat lining the interior of your sink to prevent china from getting scratched and dinged. Never stack your china in the sink. Wash one piece at a time. This will prevent them from hitting one another.
Washing your fine china dinnerware
Use only mild detergents – do not use abrasive or harsh cleaning agents. This is why hand washing is suggested, as dishwasher detergent is especially harsh and not recommended for china or crystal or silverware. Use a soft sponge and be careful that no residue from a previous use exists on the sponge. Even the tiniest microscopic grains in a sponge can leave fine scratches on the surface of china, leaving it open to future crazing. Use only warm water. The hottest water is not necessary and as you know, if you have ever taken a crystal glass out of really hot water, breakage can be the result. Slide the china into the water to allow time for the
temperature to distribute evenly. Temperature changes can also crack or break
fine china. It is important to remember that china with metal trim is especially susceptible to damage as the hot water will cause the metal to flake away. And never ever rub any detergent on the metal trim which can also cause it to flake.
Protecting your fine china dinnerware from stains
Remember, to rinse shortly after use.Tea or coffee cups can be cleaned using a solution of one
part hydrogen peroxide, three parts water, with just a drop of clear
household ammonia, shortly after use to help aid in preventing the build
up of stains. Rinse with clear, warm water.
Tips for treating stains that are already present on your fine china dinnerware
A few instances where rubbing when cleaning china is allowed:Use a small dab of baking soda to gently rub away the stains. Sprinkle the stains with salt and gently rub away the stains. A small amount of cream of tartar on a damp sponge will remove stains. Gray stains can be removed by rubbing with a small amount of toothpaste on a soft cloth. Stain from hard water or lime can be removed by soaking the china in warm water with citrus rinds such as lemon, grapefruit, or orange, overnight.
Not only is cleaning your china important, caring for it in general requires knowing the following:
Most of us think air drying is best. I am here to tell you that to avoid spots, it is best to always hand dry with a soft non abrasive clean dish cloth. I know people who dry their china with cloth diapers. Do not stack too many china plates one on top of another. When you stack, it is best to place a paper doily, or a rubber jar ring between each plate to avoid scratching, or cut out circles of a lightweight cardboard works just as well. If you do stack your china plates, lift them off when ready to use instead of sliding. Stacking teacups, or placing items inside another piece as they dry is inviting damage and so is a huge no-no. Doing so leaves teacups vulnerable to tipping over and can nick the handles and edges of other pieces such as casserole lids and creamers. Regarding teacups, you may be surprised to learn that it unwise to hang the teacups by hooks or pegs. What this does is result in weakening the handles over time. So, just put your teacups side by side on a shelf instead. Keep your fine china dinnerware at moderate room temperatures. Extreme temperatures can cause your china to crack or break Do not place china in a box in a cold basement or store tightly together in containers in a cold place such as a garage or basement, or for that matter, in a hot place such as an attic. Now you know why your neighbor who hardly ever uses their china has it displayed in a china cabinet. The cabinet may take up allot of room, but if it adds to the lifespan of the china you have, then it is worth it!
When serving on your china, warm the dishes at room temperature so that any hot food placed on it will not "shock" it. Extreme quick changes in temperature can damage it. When serving anything in a lidded dish with handles, never actually hold the dish by the handles when serving. Most of the time, the handles on such serving pieces are for decoration and not to be used literally as carrying handles.
China is bound to show some cracks or crazing over time. I always say that it is better to use the china even if you fear damage so that you can make some great family dinner memories. Using it every day if it is not heirloom quality is not such a bad thing. If you do notice fine spidery surface cracks, you can usually repair these by placing the china in a pan of warm milk for around 30 minutes. If the cracks are only surface deep, they should vanish.
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Why own fine china at all?
Like anything else you have in your life that you love and enjoy, fine china deserves to be respected! Someone once asked me why anyone would register for fine china when they were getting married since it never gets used in most cases. I remember answering them by saying that having fine china in your house is like having a memory album. If you have it, you should use it often for all special occasions, including Mother's Day lunches, tea parties with the ladies from your church or quilting group, and even, yes, for special birthday dinners for everyone in the family. China is meant to be used so that when you pass it along through the ages, stories can be told of where it came from, who was at the special dinners where it was laid out, and what was the funniest story ever told over that special dinner.
So enjoy your china, take good care of it, and it will help to create more special memories than one can imagine!
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