Tea Caddies

[Amgen]

how do you clean an old tea caddy without the transfer pattern coming off the enamel?

[heathfield]

If it's one of those printed tin can types, then a damp sponge with some washing up liquid is the only way, and probably won't do it. The problem is that kitchen dirt stains the printed colours - perhaps all the way through, so scouring to revive the pattern wouldn't work.