Can vintage Nordic tableware go in the microwave or dishwasher? A care guide

People buy an old piece and then feel nervous about using it.

We hear this constantly. The short answer is that most of it can be used normally. There are a few clear exceptions, and knowing them is enough.

The microwave

Generally yes. Avoid the following.

Anything with gold or silver decoration. This one is absolute. Gold and silver are metal; they will spark. That damages the piece and the microwave. A thin gold line at the rim counts.

Anything crazed or cracked. Crazing is the fine web of lines in the glaze. Where moisture has entered, heating expands it and the piece can fail.

Wall plates, decorative plates and objects. Some were never fired as tableware. Heat was never part of the plan.

Vases and glass. Vulnerable to sudden temperature change; not used without an explicit heatproof marking.

Anything outside those categories — ordinary glazed ware — is fine within reason. Warming gradually treats a piece better than full power from cold.

The dishwasher

Hand-washing is safer.

Ware made more than fifty years ago was not designed around dishwashers: the heat, the water pressure and the detergent strength were all outside the assumptions of the time.

If you do use one, choose a low-temperature gentle cycle and don't overfill. Pieces knocking together chip at the rim.

Always hand-wash: gold or silver decoration, hand-painted decoration, anything crazed, wall and decorative plates.

Living with crazing

Crazing is not a crack.

It is a fine network of lines caused by the glaze and the body shrinking at different rates. It is entirely normal on old ware, and some people prefer it as a mark of age.

It can darken over time as tea and coffee work into the lines. If that reads as character to you, leave it. To slow it down: don't soak, and dry thoroughly before putting the piece away.

We note crazing on the product page so there are no surprises on arrival.

Washing, stains and storage

Neutral detergent, a soft sponge. Scouring powder and metal scrubs take the decoration off. We don't use bleach on decorated pieces.

Tea and coffee stains respond to bicarbonate dissolved in warm water, left a while, then wiped gently. Time works better than pressure. Some staining won't come out — that is evidence of a piece having been used.

Put something between stacked plates. Paper or cloth stops the foot ring scratching the face below.

Avoid sudden temperature change. No boiling water into a cold piece. That alone removes most of the breakage risk.

Don't overthink it

These were made to be used, not displayed. They served in Nordic homes for decades. Keeping them in a cupboard is a waste of what they are.

If something chips, deal with it then. A little wear is proof the piece has had a life.