Every proud host knows how important it is to know how to clean cutlery - guests can be picky, and no matter how good your food is, if you serve it with dirty knives and forks, there are bound to be complaints. Music, wine and hospitality may be essential to an enjoyable dinner party, but remember that we eat with our eyes, and clean cutlery and attractive presentation shouldn't be reserved for royalty. With these simple tips and home remedies you can easily clean silver and stainless steel cutlery.
How can you clean stainless steel cutlery with home remedies?
Stainless steel cutlery, as the name suggests, is a special type of metal that does not break down, rust, or stain easily. However, over time, your stainless steel cutlery becomes dirty and tarnished, losing its shine and clean appearance. To clean your cutlery, you can use your dishwasher, or you may need to manually remove stubborn stains and deposits. Afterwards, with a little effort, you can make your cutlery shine like new again. With these home remedies you can:
- Moisten a clean cotton cloth with whiteVinegarand carefully rub off dirt and fittings. If necessary, apply more vinegar and scrub the stainless steel cutlery again. Rinse under hot water and dry with a clean, soft towel to remove any water stains.
- Take a clean cloth and moisten it with freshly squeezedlemon juice. Rub and scrub the cutlery until all stains are gone. Once removed, rinse and dry with a microfiber towel.
- Mix 1 tablespoonbaking powderand a few dropsDishwashing liquidin a small bowl. The two ingredients should form a thick paste. Use an old toothbrush and spread the paste on the cutlery. Work one piece at a time to make sure you don't miss anything and that every single spot is covered with the cleaning solution. If some stubborn stains remain after treatment, scrub them with a soft brush and undiluted white vinegar.
There are a few things you can do to prevent silver from tarnishing and dulling, but ultimately the item needs to be cleaned if you want it to look new again. There are many commercial products available for cleaning silver and silver-plated cutlery, but you can also clean them naturally. Using ordinary home remedies will save you money, and cleaning silver this way is much less labor-intensive.
You will need about 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup baking soda and 2 liters of water. Choose a bucket or baking dish large enough for the silverware to lie flat and be covered by the liquid.
Laya few sheets of aluminum foilon the bottom of the container, making sure the shiny side is facing up. For this process to work, the silver must touch the foil directly.
Sprinkle equal parts salt and baking soda onto the aluminum foil.
Bring water to a boil and carefully pour it into the container. Make sure the container you use is deep enough to withstand the bubbling when the water hits the baking soda and salt. Bring enough water to a boil to cover the items you want to clean.
In most cases the fittings come off immediately. If they are stubborn, add more salt, baking soda and water. You will find that this solution not only cleans the cutlery but also polishes it.
Wash silver cutlery separately
Silver cutlery requires even more attention because silver is a soft metal that scratches easily. With proper care, silver cutlery develops a beautiful shine over time. Silver cutlery should be washed separately from stainless steel cutlery as any contact between these materials can cause a chemical reaction that damages the silver.
Make your cutlery shine
- Polish your cutlery tooLemon oil. Lemon oil not only makes your stainless steel cutlery shine, it also leaves a pleasant, refreshing lemon scent. Apply a small amount of the oil to a soft, dry cloth, such as a tea towel or clean rag.
- Polish towardsthe grainof the metal. Similar to the grain of wood, which indicates the direction in which the wood appears to flow, stainless steel cutlery also has a grain. In general, you can assume that the grain of stainless steel runs either vertically or horizontally. Polishing according to the grain of the metal with any polishing compound will improve the overall appearance of your cutlery.
- Polish your silver cutlery tooToothpaste,with itit even shinierlooks. Moisten the cutlery with water. Apply a small amount of fluoride toothpaste. Slowly rub the toothpaste into the silverware while keeping it moist. Rub until the toothpaste turns almost black. Leave it on for about 2 minutes and wash it off.
Also interesting:Clean the stainless steel pan: With these home remedies, it will shine like new again in a flash - outside and inside!
