We have a set of china, I believe, porcelain that has a glaze over it. We bought them from an antique place. It suddenly dawns on me that they were more than likely used for non kosher foods. Is there a way today to kasher them or must they be disposed of?
Answer:
The china dishes should not be used, unless there is a significant loss involved.
Best wishes.
Sources:
Porcelain is treated by halachic authorities as earthenware, which cannot be kashered. Only in a case of a great loss, where the dishes were not used for a long period of time (at least a year) is a possibility of being lenient by means of hagalah.
Although china is glazed, earthenware utensils that are coated with glazing have the same ruling as ordinary earthenware utensils (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 451, 23; see Mishnah Berurah 137. 163 and Rosh, Pesachim 2:8). See also Iggros Moshe, Yoreh Deah 2, 4; Sefer Hakashrus 3, 50-51.
