How to Clean Vintage Pottery Stoneware
- 1). Put on rubber gloves and safety glasses, and mix 2 cups of water with a gallon of bleach in a large bucket.
- 2). Put the vintage pottery into the bleach solution, and let it sit for several hours. This will remove any mold or dark stains and will loosen any dirt on the pottery.
- 3). Gently scrub the pottery with a soft brush, being careful not to remove any glaze or paint. Use a toothbrush on small grooves and detailed areas. Rinse the pottery with water and clean it a second time with the scrub brush and liquid detergent.
- 4). Use a sponge dampened with cooking oil to remove any sticky residue from glue or stickers. Rub gently, adding more oil to the sponge if necessary.
- 5). Rinse the bucket. Rinse the pottery again with water. Soaking the pottery in vinegar will remove any mineral deposits. If the vinegar doesn't totally cover the piece, add water. Don't use more than 2 cups of water. If it still doesn't cover the piece, add more vinegar. Let the pottery soak overnight. Use a flat screwdriver to chip large chunks of mineral deposits loose after soaking.
- 6). Look for any dark lines on the glazed areas of the pottery. This is called crazing. If you see dark lines, pour peroxide or lemon juice over the pottery and set it in the sun. Leave it out overnight. If the dark spots don't go away, rinse the pottery and coat it again with peroxide or lemon juice. You may need to repeat applications of peroxide or lemon juice for several days. Soaking and sunning the pottery usually gets rid of crazing within 7 days.
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