Tips for cleaning silver cutlery - General Cleaning Issues

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Tips for cleaning silver cutlery

Posted by shinnyshinner (shinnyshinner), 17 January 2004

Hi all,
Has anyone got any tips for cleaning silver cutlery?
As far as I know the last contractors used normal polish, is this safe? if so does it need to be rinsed?
If the cutlery is used regally is there a product out there, that I wont get come backs from last thing I want to do is poison the customers guests.
Many thanks.
Alan

Posted by martin_606 (martin_606), 17 January 2004

Hi

My suggestion is this:-

Put tin foil into plastic bowl (cover the bottom)

put in hot water

add soda crystals

add cutlery

leave for 1-5 mins

The foil and crystals react and the tarnish and dirt will come away, chemical free!

there are also siver polishes if you want to go that way.

hope this helps

Regards

Martin Cool

Posted by shinnyshinner (shinnyshinner), 17 January 2004

Hi Martin.
Thanks for your reply,
Are these methods of cleaning better then using polishes?
Will it also clean up as good as polishes?
Does it affect the appearance of the metal in any way over time, (colour change, staining)?
Sorry about questions as the items in question are quite old and valuable
Many thanks mate.
Alan

Posted by martin_606 (martin_606), 18 January 2004

hi alan

Do not use the foil method if it is plated, if they are silver then it should be ok.

If they are valuable then do a test first by putting in the tin foil, hot water, crystals then choose some silver, either jewelery of 1 piece of cutlery and dip part of it in and hold for 1 min, if ok and no reaction, hold for 2 mins etc and see if you get a result. As with anything valuable always proceed with caution.

As a side note, when they brought up the wreck of the Senhora de la Atocha off of key West (Florida) they used a similar method to clean 400 years of dirt off the jewels that were found (total value 100 million dollars)

The reaction between the crystals and the tin foil is a weak electrical current and it is this that loosens the dirt.

Please keep me posted.

Regards

Martin Cool

Posted by shinnyshinner (shinnyshinner), 18 January 2004

Hi Matrin
Top man.
Thanks alot, will let you know how we get on.
Thanks mate
Alan

Posted by martin_606 (martin_606), 19 January 2004

Glad to be of service

Regards

Martin Cool

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