Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Removing stains from glass, ceramic and porcelain dishes
• Method 2 of 3: Removing stains from plastic dishes
• Method 3 of 3: Avoiding stains on dishes

Leftover food and drink can stain dishes over time, leaving stains that are difficult to remove in the usual way. Taking into account the penetration depth of the stain and the type of cookware, dissolve food residues with a suitable solvent and then rinse with water.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Removing stains from glass, ceramic and porcelain dishes

1. 1 Wash the dishes thoroughly. Leftover food can cover stains and prevent washing. Rinse and dry the dishes before proceeding.
2. 2 Use baking soda paste to remove loose stains from dirty dishes. To remove deep stains from dishes, first dissolve them and then rinse them off with water. Baking soda is the most popular and convenient option and is not nearly as corrosive as industrial solvents. Start with one tablespoon of baking soda and add enough water or white vinegar to make a sticky paste. Use a clean dishcloth or washcloth to scrub the stains thoroughly with the paste, then rinse them off with water.
   • Lemon juice is another household remedy that can be used as a mild solvent and is a great substitute for white vinegar.
3. 3 For deeper stains, use a baking soda and vinegar solution. If the baking soda paste isn't working well, you may want to give the solvent more time to penetrate deeper into the stain. Dissolve about 15 ml of baking soda and 1 tbsp. l. white vinegar to a cup of water, with just enough hot water to completely submerge the dishes, then soak them in the solution for an hour or two.
4. 4 Rinse the dishes and inspect them for any remaining stains. If the stains have faded a little, but have not completely disappeared, soak the dishes again in the baking soda and vinegar solution. If soaking hasn't completely removed the stains, consider using stronger solvents.
5. 5 Try a more powerful solvent. If household solvents have proven ineffective, perhaps a more powerful solvent will do better at removing stains from dishes. It doesn't matter which brand of solvent you choose. When working with chemicals, be sure to follow the safety instructions on the product packaging. Stay in a well-ventilated area and wear rubber gloves to avoid direct contact with corrosive chemicals. Rinse the dishes thoroughly after the solvent so that no trace remains on the dishes.
   • Commercial dishwashing detergents are not suitable for all types of dishware. Please read the instructions on the packaging carefully and familiarize yourself with the available choices before purchasing.
6. 6 Be especially careful when bleaching porcelain. Chlorine bleach or any other chlorine-containing product should not be used on ceramics or glazed porcelain as it can corrode the glaze. Oxygen bleach, which is often used for laundry, can be used instead. Add powdered oxygen bleach to hot water, let the water cool to room temperature, and soak the utensils in it. This should remove most of the stains and even “hairline cracks” that sometimes appear on old ceramics.
   • You can also use a 20% hydrogen peroxide solution to remove stains on porcelain, which is available in most pharmacies. Apply the solution to the problem area of ​​the dishes, and then rinse them thoroughly.

Method 2 of 3: Removing stains from plastic dishes

1. 1 Rinse the dishes thoroughly to remove food debris from the surface. If you are going to wash the dishes in the dishwasher, place them on the topmost rack so as not to expose the plastic to high temperatures. Rinse the dishes and then dry them before proceeding.
2. 2 Leave the dishes in direct sunlight for at least two hours. Sunlight has a whitening effect on plastic, so a few hours in the sun will help remove stains and air out the plastic dishes.Place crockery, stained side up, under an open window or in a suitable area in your yard with plenty of sunlight. Check for stains after a few hours.
3. 3 Try using a baking soda and vinegar solution. Baking soda and vinegar do a great job on most common types of food stains. Soak plastic dishes in a solution of baking soda, vinegar and warm water (about 1 tablespoon of baking soda and vinegar for each glass of water) for 1 to 2 hours, or wipe them with a baking soda paste (mix a small amount of baking soda with that much vinegar or water to bring it to a pasty state).
   • Instead of baking soda and vinegar, you can use salt and lemon juice to make a cleansing paste.
   • Rubbing alcohol is another acceptable substitute for baking soda and vinegar, which can be used to soak or rub over a dirty area of ​​a plastic dish.
4. 4 Use an oxygenate of some kind, such as a dentifrice or antacid pill. They can be surprisingly effective in removing stains from plastic dishes, especially cups and bowls. Fill a cup or bowl with water and add two tablets of dentifrice or antacid. Soak the dishes in the solution overnight and then rinse them with water.
5. 5 Soak dishes in chlorine bleach solution. Bleach is powerful and harmful and is only used as a last resort if other methods have failed. Gently mix about one to two bleach and water, wait 30 minutes for the solution to soak into the plastic container, then rinse thoroughly.
   • Bleach is highly corrosive, so wear rubber gloves to protect your hands. Also, wash dishes in a well-ventilated area so that fumes generated by the bleach can be safely dispersed.

Method 3 of 3: Avoiding stains on dishes

1. 1 Try not to scratch or break the dishes. Food and drink seeps into cracks in the surface of glass, china or ceramic utensils, resulting in deeper and more difficult stains to remove.
2. 2 Preheat ceramic cookware before serving hot food. Sudden changes in temperature can cause tiny cracks to form on the surface of ceramic or porcelain dishes. To avoid this, heat the plates (for example, by placing them next to the oven) before serving the hot food on them.
3. 3 Wash the dishes immediately so that food and liquid residues do not have time to leave marks on the surface of the dish. This is especially true for coffee and tea cups, as they leave stains almost immediately and are much more difficult to remove. If you want to save leftover food, put it in a container or plate that you don't mind, and only then put it in the refrigerator.
4. 4 Wash the dishes in hot water. Washing and rinsing dishes in too cold water makes it difficult to remove grease and food particles from the plate, which can stain it.
5. 5 Use the correct amount of detergent to avoid water stains on the glassware. Too much detergent in the dishwasher can cause water streaks. If the glasses often leave streaks after washing, use less detergent. If that doesn't work, switch to another detergent.