Stop Stacking Delicate China In Your Cabinet And Follow This Tip

Laying the dining table with fine china establishes a specific tone for a family meal or seasonal gathering. Sophisticated and elegant, these pieces have a signature translucency and beauty that sets them apart from stoneware crockery. However, this delicate feature also happens to be one of the downsides of using vintage china. Luckily, you can protect the pretty fluted edges, intricate motifs, and vibrant colors in your china plates by lining them up vertically on upright dish racks instead of stacking them horizontally.

If you've been lucky enough to find some rare Lennox china patterns at your local thrift store, you should do your best to avoid placing them on top of each other in your kitchen cabinet. This action can scrape the glaze on the surface and, in the worst case, cause chips and hairline fractures that can lead to breakage. In contrast, upright dish racks allow you to store your delicate china vertically so they aren't resting on another plate. Only a small portion of the rim of each dish meets the base of the rack, leaving plenty of breathing space around it. This reduces the risk of damage and ensures your crockery lasts longer. It also means that you can access each piece directly and efficiently without having to unstack a tower of plates. Finally, the air that's freely circulating around each item means any dishes that are still damp after handwashing can dry off completely.

Upright storage racks can be used in display cabinets as well as kitchen cupboards, which is useful if you have a set of china that's been passed down through the generations and is used solely as a decorative showpiece. Some vintage china pieces can have lead in their glaze and aren't suitable for eating on anyway. However, maintaining their structure by preventing chips and scratches is a way to honor your family history and show off your cherished crockery. Select a plate rack that matches the aesthetic of your kitchen, and you can leave them out on the counter for a touch of winsome charm.

If you haven't got an upright rack, or want to put your china in storage for a short period, there are other options that work well too. For instance, you can lay felt or cork pads between each plate so they aren't sitting directly on top of each other. Paper napkins that have been doubled over can also work well (and can absorb unwanted moisture if you're stashing your china in a mildewy garage). You can place coffee filters between your plates to prevent scratches too; just open them up and spread them out so they cover as much surface area as possible.