Are your dishes scratched and marked up from silverware cuts and the dishwasher?
Here's how to get rid of those black and gray scratches easily.
And make your plates look like new again.
After running some boring errands, I decided it was too nice to go home.
So I hit the thrift store instead.
I didn't expect to find anything fabulous, but I stumbled upon a very cool cup and saucer.
It was totally scratched and anyone else probably would've walked right by, but not this girl.
I grabbed it, brought it home to clean it up, get the scratches out and make it into something divine.
Of course, I had recently been down this road before, when I tried to clean some badly scratched glass plates that I'd found at the thrift store and tried to restore their original shine.
Turns out the only thing that helped them was a coat of spray paint.
But I digress.
I desperately wanted it to work out this time and I was hopeful.
I mean looking at the before pictures now, I don't know what I was thinking, but all's well that ends well, so it was worth the risk.
The cup is giant. Huge actually.
The lady at the counter was laughing that a week's worth of coffee could fit inside.
I don't know about that, since I'm a hot water drinker, but it's big. Really, really big.
It was also really scratched.
There were marks all over the cup itself and its saucer.
While the cup looked like someone took a pencil and drew all over it, the saucer was so marked up, it was almost grey in its entirety
Worth the $1.50 I paid for the pair?
Not really, but then again what is in that place?
However, if I could clean it up, I thought it would be. So I got busy.
I checked the arsenal I had amassed after the glass dishes mess and I decided to go with a tried and true friend, Cerama Bryte.
This stuff cleans my glass top stove, my kitchen sink, my kitchen hardware and my stainless pot and pans with ease.
And you should see the crystal clear shine on my my glass shower doors,
So I figured why not the scratched dishes?
Spoiler alert...turns out I was right about that.
I grabbed a non scratch pad, squirted some Cerama Bryte on the plate and started to rub it in.
I was amazed almost immediately.
The scratches literally disappeared before my eyes.
And this was not a scrub hard to get results or a leave it to soak kind of magic.
It was quick and thorough and I was shocked.
I rinsed my plate with soap and water and here is what it looked like less than five minutes after I began the process. Not bad, huh?
Next, I hit the cup.
This process was naturally a little more involved because of the shape and round edges, but it still went rather quickly and the result was no less impressive.
Full disclaimer, I didn't clean the inside since I had a craft in mind for this sweet and clean cup and saucer, but it got me thinking that maybe I should.
I could actually use this cup. Well, if I wasn't a crazy person about using food items from the thrift store.
But...it did get me thinking about my other white dishes and mugs.
A few of my beautiful Rae Dunn pieces aren't as pristine as they used to be. They could use a good cleaning and I was just about to take the scrubby to them when I thought, maybe I should make sure this is safe.
Safe for the finish on the dishes and safe for food items.
Yes, I used it on pots and pans, but dishes...hmmm...so I checked. I mean after all, I'd be using it myself and I'd be sharing it with you. I wanted to be sure.
So I called the company and asked them directly. A lovely woman told me it's absolutely safe.
There's nothing toxic in it and people get great results using it on dishes.
She recommended rinsing the items with soap and water, if you wish, before using. That's just common sense to me.
I think you may also want to test a spot on precious pieces, but that's my thought, not hers.
She mentioned that people often use it to clean Corning Ware. Hmmm. I have a bunch of that, too.
I think I have a lot of cleaning ahead of me tonight.
As for what happened to my new cup and saucer?
They're now a full of pansies and embellished with words.
A cute planter ready for spring.
If Mother Nature ever lets her out again. 😉
More plate posts?
What a great solution for the cracks in the cup and saucer. I have seen those big cups like that planted with flowers or a plant. That stuff sounds like a fabulous cleaner. I might have to try it on some of my stuff that is old and needing some polishing. Gotta love those thrift store finds. Happy Wednesday.
ReplyDeletexoox
Kris
Thanks Kris! And no one here is careful with my dishes. My beautiful Rae Dunn mugs look an awful lot like the before picture of this cup. I am excited to make them look new again. And then hide them!! 😉
DeleteYay, thrift store success! Anxious to see your finished craft. I am so ready for spring. We had an 'historic' blizzard on the weekend, more snow predicted for today that I am hoping will miss us and next week it is supposed to be 60. Lots of Minnesota weather 'hold my beer' jokes on facebook.
ReplyDeleteI heard about your blizzard. We were expecting it, but luckily we were spared. We did get record amounts of rain and it caused all sorts of flooding, but by afternoon when the sun came out, all was well. I know that was not your snow story. I hope it's all melted away by now, but I highly doubt it. Spring, where are you??? Oh boy, if I were you, I'd be hanging out in the greenhouse...if you could get to it!!
Deleteholy moly! i have that cleaner for my glass stove top too. nice to know it's great for so many other things! i know you'll plant something wonderful in them probably... but i'm thinking i would love to eat soup or stew from them. or pudding cake or ... ok. now i'm hungry. xo
ReplyDeleteIt works so well, Tammy!! And I was so happy to hear that it's safe. That makes me happy since I'm not a chemical girl at all. Pie now...that's another story!!
DeleteKim, the cup and saucer look good as new. Who would have thought it! I wonder how those pieces got so scratched? What kind of pretty are you going to come up with?..Happy Wednesday..xxoJudy
ReplyDeleteCan you believe it, Judy? I was so happy and shocked to be honest. I never thought they would come out that well.
DeleteWow that product is amazing Kim. I love how all the marks came off of the dishes. I have some corning dishes that it would probably work great on. I will have to look for this cleaner.
ReplyDeleteYour thrift store sounds like it's really nice. There is one by where my mom lived that we used to shop in together.
Soon there will be so many fun yard sales to check out too!
Have fun thrifting and crafting Kim. Enjoy the rest of the week.
Julie xo
Oh, I can’t wait for the yard sales, Julie. Of course, then I’ll have even more stuff to donate and give away!! Hahaha! Enjoy the sun!
DeleteThat is wonderful! I had never heard of this product before. Thank you so much!!! I have a glass top stove here as well. It sure worked well. I shall look for it. Hope they have it around here. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIt's been a lifesaver for me, Angela. My stove is white...can you imagine. What was I thinking? 😉 And I usually pick up mine at Home Depot or Amazon, but I recently saw it at the food store, too! Good luck!
DeleteGreat info! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Thanks Brenda! It’s always fun when success is involved! Enjoy the day!
DeleteThat's seriously amazing!! I would have walked right by those, but now they look great!
ReplyDeleteThanks Debbie. I do love my {clean} cup and saucer!
DeleteWow! I will have to remember that product. It did a wonderful job!
ReplyDeleteThanks Penny! Glad I could share something useful with you. Thanks for popping by and letting me know.
DeleteWhat a great solution you discovered, Kim! Cannot wait to see what you have up your sleeve.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Carol
Thanks Carol! I'm already enjoying a little sunshine from my sweet new cup creation! Enjoy your actual sunshine!
DeleteWow - that's amazing! It looks completely new. Now you have to share what you did with it. :)
ReplyDeleteI am sharing that soon, Mari! Thanks for taking a peek at it…
DeleteThat stuff looks even better than Barkeepers Friend. Must try. Thanks for the tip.
ReplyDeleteThanks PJ! I think it's the same kind of product. This one works with citric acid. Glad I could share something useful!
DeleteWow, I'm amazed Kim. I guess that thrift store isn't so bad after all, is it? I've never seen ceramic that scratched up. Is it melamine? Anyway, your product worked 101 miracles. So now we wait to see what you're going to do with it!
ReplyDeleteApparently not so bad, Florence! It's not melamine. It's a heavy ceramic or stoneware mug....and now it's all clean!!
DeleteOh this is great Kim!! Now I'm going to look at my dishes to see if I need some CeramaBryte! What a remarkable cleaning tool!!! That 1.50 definitely was worth it..and I will look forward to see what you do with the cup once spring shows up lol!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Marilyn! It was worth the price for sure. It already has brightened my kitchen and made me smile on cloudy days. That's worth way more than $1.50. Thanks for the visit!!
DeleteWell I never would have thought of that. Thanks friend!
ReplyDeleteI bet you would've Stacey. You are quite crafty!
DeleteWell that worked . . . WOW . . . .
ReplyDeleteI need to get some of that CERAMA BRYTE . . .
for my glass top stove . . . in black.
(I like cooking with gas, but I like the “smooth glass top in the kitchen look” . . . more!)
Did I miss the best place to purchase??
I like cooking with gas, too, Lynne, but I too like the clean of the glass….well, when it is clean! And you can get it at Amazon and Home Depot. Good luck!
DeleteThat's great! When my white plates get marked up I use Barkeepers Friend and it works very well! I'll keep the Cerama Bryte in mind, from now on!
ReplyDeleteI just bought some Barkeepers Friend, Deanna. I think they essentially work the same way. I will have to test it out. I just like the lemon smell of the Cerama Bryte....
DeleteI have to say that I am really impressed with this quick transformation Kim. I'll be on the lookout for this stuff next time I go to the supermarket.
ReplyDeleteIt was really amazing, Mary! Now I won't freak out as much when people scrape their knives on my new white plates...
DeleteYou never cease to amaze me :)
ReplyDeleteDeb, you are truly the sweetest...
DeleteHa, I like how you said Mother Nature let Spring out of her cell. HA! But so sad that it is true.
ReplyDeleteI am excited to see what you created. :-)
So sad...I feel like we've all been in winter jail with her!! Supposed to be in the 60s this weekend. I'll believe it when I see it. It's barely 60 inside with the heat on!! 😉
DeleteThis is great, Kim. I love the cute cup and saucer all spiffed up. I like using old pics like this to hold pieces of odd jewelry and such on my dresser.
ReplyDeleteDo you think it might help clean up my porcelain kitchen sink? My cleaning girl uses SOS pads, but that's just twice a month.
Jane
It will definitely work on your sink Jane. I use it on my porcelain sink all the time and it works wonders! And I love your jewelry catcher idea. I take my rings off near the sink and never have a good place to keep them. If (let's be honest, when) my pansies die I think I will try your idea!! Thanks!!
DeleteNot bad at all! Wow! That stuff works wonders! I hope Mother Nature lets spring out for good really soon!
ReplyDeleteI hope so, too! Still no sign of her...
DeleteLooks good as new, Kim! Great finds!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cecilia!!
DeleteWow I wouldn't have thought that the cup and saucer could have been cleaned up! I'll check out the Cleaner which I've n never heard of before either. It looks brand new now. I also love putting flowers in my vintage dishes
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I was pretty surprised too, Cathy. I didn't expect it to get as clean as it did.
DeleteLook at you like the Heloise of blogging :).
ReplyDeleteThat’s an amazing result!
Ha! If only. I do agree that the results were pretty amazing though. Not bad for a dollar fifty!
DeleteGlad you still have a link to this because I couldn't remember the name...getting old.
ReplyDeleteBecause I have bought a lot of thrift store china and glass lately, I saw something to help protect the finish after we get our treasures cleaned up. They used coffee filters to put between plates to protect them from getting scratches in the first place. I have used paper plates too.
Myrna
Myrna, thanks so much for hunting the post down to leave this tip! That was so kind of you...it's a great idea. I have my plates stacked and I'm always worried about that. I am definitely doing this!! Thanks! 😊
DeleteWe bought this when we bought our new stove from Home Depot. Now I can't find it. I love this stuff!!! I will be going on Amazon. Thank you! The cup & saucer look great!
ReplyDeleteOh I'm so glad you found this post helpful!! And thanks!
DeleteIts a wonderful day when easy meets with something-I-already-own. The cup and saucer look brand new!
ReplyDeleteI love that cleaner, Audra. It's really transformed a lot of things I already own!
DeleteGoodness me, that cup is HUGE!!!! What a great find. Now I'm hoping like crazy that they sell Cerama Bryte or something similar here in South Africa, because our white plates are looking really tired and yucky.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very big cup indeed!! And now it's very clean. If Cerama Bryte isn't available. I've heard that bar keeper's friend works the same. Maybe they have that there!!
DeleteDid this product end up working on your Rae Dunn pottery? I just want to make sure before I try it on mine.
ReplyDeleteHi! Yes, it worked very well. However, I was nervous, so I didn't use the scrubby pad, I used it with a damp paper towel and I spot tested it on a mug handle first! I hope it works for you, too!
DeleteWOW! I might need to jump in the car and go back to the thrift store for a set of dished that I saw!
ReplyDeleteThanks Elizabeth!! SO glad you found this tip useful. You'll have to let me know if you go back for the dishes and try it!!
Delete