Melmac dishes?

[Babydoll]

I inherited my Grannie's set of Melmac dishes - white with peach roses, or solid peach (yes, it's a set). I have nearly a full set of service for 8. I use them as my daily dishes. I don't have a dishwasher right now, so they are hand washed only. We're looking at moving into an apartment with a dishwasher, and before The Mister puts all of Gran's dishes in and ruins them, I have to know: are they dishwasher safe? Will they melt/decals come off?

I have no problem with putting the dishes away to save for the next generation, but I'd like to use them if possible.

(I am the one that hand washes them now. Our deal is that if we have a dishwasher, he's on clean up duty.)

 

[goldwyn girl]

I have a full service in pink and I never put them in the dishwasher, as a matter of fact I have never used my dishwasher, it just sits there taking up space. I feel safer hand washing them, it's not as if you can pop down to Sears and buy a new set if they melt.

 

[MrPumpernickel]

Old plastic + dishwasher = not the best of combinations

Even if they won't melt there is a chance they'll warp, or if something is resting against them end up with indentations and so forth. The dishwasher is strictly for things you don't care much about in my opinion. Though, as far as I've heard from various sources Melmac (well melamine) kitchenware can be put through the dishwasher without a problem, but I figure why take the chance?

Don't get me wrong, I love and couldn't live without my dishwasher, but there's no chance in hell I'm putting anything other than my everyday china in there, never my finer stuff, much less if I had any vintage plasticware.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

All my melmac has gone in the dishwasher with no problem. Not so much with the microwave, however.

 

[woodyinnyc]

I thought melmac was the planet ALF was from? Who knew it was dishes too!



(tried to add a picture of ALF, but I'm not smart enough to figure out how!)

 

[goldwyn girl]

lol lol lol lol lol lol

 

[woodyinnyc]

That's the picture I tried to post! Cracks me up!

 

[Trickeration]

My melmac goes into the dishwasher all the time. I've never had any trouble there. I actually worry more about scraches from sharp knives, or stains. I just try not to leave things like oily pasta sauce, stuff with lots of food coloring in it, or berries on melmac too long.

 

[BeBopBaby]

If you continually put them in the dishwasher it will dull the finish over a long period of time.

 

[SpitfireXIV]

in recent years, i've seen the newer melamine dishes stickered with the warning "TOP RACK DISHWASHER SAFE." personally, any dishes i want to keep for along time, especially if there's a pattern on it, i hand wash.

i also try to avoid any dish detergents that have any citrus in them; it's awful on silverware.

 

[The Wolf]

I've had it chip in the microwave oven as well.:eusa_doh:

Sincerely,
Me
<--------------

 

[Sweet Leilani]

in recent years, i've seen the newer melamine dishes stickered with the warning "TOP RACK DISHWASHER SAFE." personally, any dishes i want to keep for along time, especially if there's a pattern on it, i hand wash.

This is true, but often because newer melamine dishes are thinner than older ones. Even in the top rack I've had newer ones warp. I do have some older melamine that my 2 yr old uses and they go through on the top rack with no problem. I like them, but they'll never be heirlooms, so in they go.

 

[Joie DeVive]

I grew up eating off my Mom's melamine dishware. It was white with a blue and purple violet pattern. I think it was probably made circa 1965-1975.
She used it for 20+ years, and during most of that time it went in the dishwasher. (As soon as we got one!) Eventually, the pictures did fade a bit and get scratched looking, but that was after a lot of years of use!

It is always safest to handwash, but my family didn't have trouble with it in the dishwasher. [huh]

 

[Pink Dahlia]

lol lol lol lol lol lol

OMG that's totally what I thought! lol

 

[Mildred]

Melmac dishes

The dishwasher-it will ruin them in time. Hand wash your dishes and they will last forever. Hubby can dry. I own melmac dishes and I have kept them perfect because I care for them.

 

[Babydoll]

I need more advice regarding the melmac dishes.

The Mister put mustard on one of the big plates (for his mini corn dogs ), and it left yellow stains all over the plate. I tried scrubbing the stains off with regular dish soap and a scrub brush but it did nothing to remove the stains. Is there a magic trick for me to try, or am I stuck with a mustardized plate?

Help!

 

[lolli]

Yeah, I have a set of turquoise melmac dishes. I don't ever put them in the dishwasher. Heck, I rarely even wash them. They are for display only. I usually just dust them. I definitely wouldn't put them in the dishwasher though.

 

[olive bleu]

Dishwashers are tougher on any dishes than hand washing but..I worked at a summer camp fro 4 years , all our dishes were melmac, and all 100 place settings went into an industrial dishwasher every day!Some of the pieces were 15-20 years old...i'd say go for it