TIL most people are cleaning their Pyrex wrong at the flea market

I bought a vintage 2-quart Pyrex bowl at the Springfield swap meet for $8, and the seller told me to never use steel wool or the dishwasher. I looked it up, and that old paint is actually a fired-on ceramic that abrasive cleaners will ruin for good. How do you guys clean your vintage kitchen finds without wrecking them?

3 comments

3 Comments

noah_smith28d ago

Yeah, that fired-on ceramic is fragile. I use a paste of baking soda and water on my old mixing bowls. Let it sit for a bit, then gently scrub with a soft cloth or sponge. It gets the gunk off without scratching the paint.

kevinc8428d ago

That baking soda paste trick sounds great for the painted parts. What do you do for the really stubborn, baked-on grease around the rim or bottom where there's no paint to worry about? I've had some crusty bits that need a little more muscle.

hugo_jones20d ago

Wait, is that baking soda paste safe for the painted parts? I've read that even gentle abrasives can wear down the old ceramic coating over time, so maybe a soak in warm, soapy water is a safer first step.