I typically don't go in for the trendy collectibles and brand names. It's mostly because I am not going to pay the inflated prices just because it's a McCoy or Pyrex or whatever. I like neat cheap junk. If I come across something I like and it happens to, by no fault of it's own, be a name brand but has a decent price then I will pick it up.
I came across this red covered Pyrex dish at the thrift store recently for 6 bucks but it looked like this:
I figured for 6 bucks I would take a chance on fixing it up. I liked the challenge. I found several tips online about how to restore faded? oxidized? Pyrex. Most said to clean the exterior with Bar Keeper's Friend and then coat the finish in coconut oil. I needed some more powder cleanser anyway (was almost out of my trusty Comet) so I picked up some Bar Keeper's Friend at the store. As I was scouring the dish it looked like it was removing the finish not improving it so I put a halt on that. I then used my trusty June's Miracle cleaning cloth instead. I had a smidgen bit of coconut oil in a jar that was actually foot scrub (also had big chucks of salt in it but hey) my mil had made as christmas gifts. I rubbed in the oil and the dish really looks pretty snazzy. I then read on and saw the article I had been referring to about how to restore the finish said that now the dish could be used for display but not for cooking! What?! Why?! It didn't say. I figured maybe the coconut oil was toxic when heated or something but I think people do use it for cooking not just scrubbing and softening their bunion bedraggled clodhoppers . Whatever. I am baking something with this dish, I don't need a 5 pound paper weight as big as a watermelon.
Before I baked in it I did come up with a reason to not use it as is, though probably it's not the reason that the article felt the need to not mention. Do you really think it's a good idea to pull a 400 degree greased up breakable dish from the oven? That could become a very bad day for someone's feet and the foot scrub will certainly not help at that point. So like I said, I will be using this casserole for baking. I decided to put it in the oven at a low temp for a hour to cure the oil before I used it. This did remove a bit of that glossy greasy shine but it made it functional and safe and it still looked a heap better than when I bought it.
I don't own any covered casserole dishes so I am pretty happy to have found this one and fixed it up.
Next post it's in action!
Bonus!
1951 ad styling action!
6 comments:
What a gorgeous dish, Mary! for six dollars, I would have snatched it up too! I collect and use vintage Pyrex, but I'm not fanatic about it, so my collection is small. I do love it though and use it at least once every day! Enjoy yours!
Monica loves Pyrex bowls! She may have a bowl or two that needs this tip! (Rob)
Jenn you should photograph your pyrex set and put it up on your blog!
Rob, hope the tip helps! It really did make a vast initial improvement but starts to kinda fade back to funky after several uses. Just have to reapply the coconut oil, I guess.
~mary~
hey i know this post is old but--
the reason they say not to put coconut oil on bakeware: it's not toxic or anything, in fact it's incredibly food and body safe, but coconut oil has a very low melting temperature and smoke point
so best case scenario the oil melts off and dirties up your oven
mediocre case scenario the oil burns char black onto your pyrex
worst case scenario it starts a grease fire
Like the picture that piece is more of a salad bowl with a cover for the fridge for leftovers, though it's probably oven safe because Pyrex.
I collect Pyrex dishes and had a red server like this with lid, although I've sold it now. I personally don't use mine for the oven for 2 reasons: the first is that I don't know the hx of the item, how frequently it had been heated and cooled too quickly and I have heard of dishes pretty much shattering into shards in the oven or on folks tables after being removed from the oven, the second is the lead aspect and how much of the finish has been removed over time, if the dish had gone through the dishwasher (that's what yours looked like to begin with, DWD or dishwasher damaged. I don't want things seeping into my food. I will line the dish with plastic wrap and use it as a serving dish sometimes, but for the most part mine are just for looking pretty on the shelf. :)
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