This Simple Trick Removes Knife Marks From Plates

Knife marks on plates are bound to happen. Whether it's your kids dragging their cutlery across the plate a little too aggressively as they learn to cut steak for themselves or a dinner party guest jabbing at salads and vegetables a little overzealously. Those unsightly gray marks can plague an otherwise pristine surface, making dishes look old and shabby, but not necessarily chic — and can just be an eyesore that you're reminded of every time you wash your dinnerware.

According to Wonderhowto.com, you'll especially notice these marks if you have plates and bowls that are either lighter in color (white and pastel) or at the other end of the spectrum with hues of black, gray, or dark blue.

When these marks start to really bother you, you may be tempted to head online in search of new dinnerware. But, before you move those floral pattern dishes you've had your eye on into your virtual cart, try this simple hack to remove those unattractive knife marks. It might even make your dishes look brand-new in the process, saving you money you can spend elsewhere. Hello new handbag!

Per Wonderhowto.com, there are three different agents you can use to try and scuff out the scrape marks on your dishes. These ingredients are only mildly abrasive, and will remove the blemishes from your plates without harming your dinnerware forever. In fact, using them might even restore your dishes to their glory days when they were shiny and new. (Though, the site does caution that if the marks on your plates are scratches or small chips, this hack won't help you, so in that case you can go ahead and hit buy on those new dishes.) 

For the rest of the victims in your cabinets, break out some baking soda or cream of tartar, a little water, and a scrubbing cloth, all of which will be your best friends in getting your dishes back to good.

First, form a paste with whichever ingredient you have tucked away in your cabinets (either baking soda or cream of tartar) by adding a bit of water and stirring. Then, rub some of the paste directly onto the surface where the knife marks are, and begin lightly scrubbing until they are no more. If the baking soda or cream of tartar aren't quite doing the job, you can also try Bar Keeper's Friend. This gentle scrubbing agent can be used to remove rust stains from silverware as well, and is a little more industrial in nature — it can really do the trick if your plates have accumulated a lot of scrapes.

With those few steps, you can feel confident hosting dinner parties again — maybe with some ground rules first about how to properly use a knife.