Porcelain-related Comments

Various related subjects worth mentioning in future pages or articles. Listed without order.

Forum Comments worth keeping for other to read:

Q:  <forum member question>

Removing dirt from antique porcelain?

A: I have mixed feelings (and experiences) with this. The problem is that dirt often is not natural. It makes it appear as if an item is really old. Things are often artificially made to look dirty in China. An exception is when things were excavated.

Something that can be washed off with a mild detergent or soap water (or only water) is always removed by me. I have had cases where I used cleaning methods used by professional restorers, and after that the people seeing the item thought it was new. You have to evaluate what the result of a cleaning could be. If there are clear age or usage signs anyway, go ahead...

Most people do not use these professional methods, however. So anything that can be removed by gentle cleaning should be fine, in my view. But ... do not use bleaching agents unless you know what you do. You might damage the glaze. Do not use solvents like acetone or (yes!) alcohol etc., and always soak and flush with plenty of clean water afterwards. Never use hot or very cold water, the porcelain might develop cracks or hairlines. What I often do is just use wet baby tissues to wipe the surface, or soak the items for a couple of hours.

Note:
Be aware that the use of solvents may remove the color from hidden repairs, or soften the glue. Some exceptional repairs are invisible even if viewed with a magnifier. In such a case undue cleaning may wreck the items appearance.