Antique collecting has its perks.
Great finds, good financial returns and a satisfied soul are just some of the many "bonuses" one can get from this hobby.
But these things don't come easily and sometimes, much effort is needed from the person.
For starters, looking for good antiques is already a very big challenge.
Although you can always look for antiques at auctions, the thrill of the hunt is already diminished because you will just be fighting over it because of price.
For some people, going the extra mile to find that golden ticket is the best way to go when antique hunting.
When you find these items, most of the time they are still in their "dirty" state.
Time can do so many things to china and it can leave marks and stains on your precious find.
Don't fret though, there are simple ways to clean your china and increase its market value in the process.
Veteran antique collectors stand by this old method of cleaning Chinese pottery of stains and markings.
It may take some time but the results are great in their standards.
For cleaning china, you have to use 40% peroxide solution.
Make sure its 40% hydrogen peroxide first so that you will get best results.
Remember that this is not the kind you buy from drug stores.
This stronger form of hydrogen peroxide can be purchased from beauty supply stores.
To protect yourself, make sure you put on rubber gloves because the solution can burn your skin.
To start, make sure you have a plastic container large enough to store your china.
In this process, you need to completely submerge your Chinese pottery in the peroxide solution.
This process takes months to completely rid your item of stains and markings.
Make sure you have enough patience to last you for this period.
The peroxide solution also tends to lose its strength over time.
Replace the peroxide solution when you see it gets discolored or you start to smell a different odor.
For other items that are more delicate.
This method may seem too risky so for these items it is advised to use a different method.
For delicate items, instead of submerging the item in peroxide solution, you only need to wrap the item in clean rags soaked in hydrogen peroxide.
You can also opt to put the rags on specific places where there are stains, so you can localize the action of the peroxide solution.
Place it in an empty trash bag and seal it up.
When you use the trash bag, you might need to re-soak the rags every few days because it tends to dry out.
Note that this method is in no way simple.
It entails effort and time from the collector but remember that the end result is what's important.
If you follow these steps correctly, you will not only have the bragging rights of cleaning up genuine antique Chinese pottery but you will also have something worth displaying or selling.
Great finds, good financial returns and a satisfied soul are just some of the many "bonuses" one can get from this hobby.
But these things don't come easily and sometimes, much effort is needed from the person.
For starters, looking for good antiques is already a very big challenge.
Although you can always look for antiques at auctions, the thrill of the hunt is already diminished because you will just be fighting over it because of price.
For some people, going the extra mile to find that golden ticket is the best way to go when antique hunting.
When you find these items, most of the time they are still in their "dirty" state.
Time can do so many things to china and it can leave marks and stains on your precious find.
Don't fret though, there are simple ways to clean your china and increase its market value in the process.
Veteran antique collectors stand by this old method of cleaning Chinese pottery of stains and markings.
It may take some time but the results are great in their standards.
For cleaning china, you have to use 40% peroxide solution.
Make sure its 40% hydrogen peroxide first so that you will get best results.
Remember that this is not the kind you buy from drug stores.
This stronger form of hydrogen peroxide can be purchased from beauty supply stores.
To protect yourself, make sure you put on rubber gloves because the solution can burn your skin.
To start, make sure you have a plastic container large enough to store your china.
In this process, you need to completely submerge your Chinese pottery in the peroxide solution.
This process takes months to completely rid your item of stains and markings.
Make sure you have enough patience to last you for this period.
The peroxide solution also tends to lose its strength over time.
Replace the peroxide solution when you see it gets discolored or you start to smell a different odor.
For other items that are more delicate.
This method may seem too risky so for these items it is advised to use a different method.
For delicate items, instead of submerging the item in peroxide solution, you only need to wrap the item in clean rags soaked in hydrogen peroxide.
You can also opt to put the rags on specific places where there are stains, so you can localize the action of the peroxide solution.
Place it in an empty trash bag and seal it up.
When you use the trash bag, you might need to re-soak the rags every few days because it tends to dry out.
Note that this method is in no way simple.
It entails effort and time from the collector but remember that the end result is what's important.
If you follow these steps correctly, you will not only have the bragging rights of cleaning up genuine antique Chinese pottery but you will also have something worth displaying or selling.