Question:
Have some pieces of a pattern called either New Orleans or Orleans. My question is, I have seen these have a stain, like a tea stain in patches. Is there a best way to try to remove it? The incomplete set of 12 includes serving bowls, teapot, & cream and sugar. Out of the set of 70+ pieces, there are approximately 10 setting pieces with edge chips/cracks. Thanks in advance for any attention you may give this request. Sincerely, Lanette Jaynes

Answer: Orleans was one of Red Wing’s first handpainted dinnerware patterns and was produced in the 1940s. Staining is a common problem with Orleans pieces and other Red Wing dinnerware from this era.

Cleaning stains from pottery can be a controversial subject. Most collectors are OK with such cleaning, but others believe it is a form of restoration. Most collectors who try to remove stains from dinnerware use either bleach or hydrogen peroxide.

Bleach can work, but care must be taken to thoroughly remove the bleach after cleaning or it can destroy the piece over time. I do not recommend bleach for cleaning pottery.

Others use hydrogen peroxide, and I’ve successfully used this method on pieces in our personal collection. I have not seen or heard about damage caused by cleaning with hydrogen peroxide, thus it’s my opinion that hydrogen peroxide is safer than bleach for this purpose.

Here is the process I follow using hydrogen peroxide. Please understand this is not a recommendation, I am merely sharing my experiences. While I’ve encountered no damage to pottery with this method, any use of hydrogen peroxide is at your own risk.

Hydrogen peroxide is available at beauty supply stores labeled as 20, 30 or 40 volume as either a clear solution or an opaque liquid. Volume is a term that means “percent”, so these products are 20, 30 or 40% hydrogen peroxide. The peroxide used to treat cuts and wounds is only 3%; it will not work for cleaning pottery. I use the 40 volume clear solution, but 20 or 30 should also work.

Hydrogen peroxide in these high strengths must be used with extreme caution. From my experience it stings badly on skin, eats a hole in clothing if not promptly washed out, and causes blistering on Formica tabletops if not wiped up. Use rubber gloves when handling the peroxide, unless you don’t mind the sting. I store my peroxide bath and supplies in a plastic shower stall, so any messes can be quickly and easily cleaned up. Plastic containers work well; I use a covered plastic Rubbermaid tub to hold my peroxide bath. Carefully pour the peroxide into the tub, then set the item to be cleaned in the peroxide.

How long should an item be soaked in peroxide? It depends on the piece. Some pieces clean up in just a few days; others can soak for a couple of months and still not be clean. Generally a couple of weeks are sufficient. After the peroxide bath I soak the piece in clean water for several days to remove the peroxide using a second plastic tub.

This method has worked well for me to clean stains from dinnerware, but I have no experience with it for cleaning art pottery or stoneware.

Larry