Cleaning Silverware for the holidays

[Hugh R]

Got family coming and drug out the good sterling flatware. The wifey wanted me to clean it (slightly tarnished). So I thought I'd share what I think is the best way to clean silver. Don't use silver polish, it removes silver! Instead put it in boiling water with as much table salt as the water will hold i.e., excess salt is sitting on the bottom. Put in a piece of aluminum and boil it for a while. The silver oxide will revert to silver and the aluminum will plate out aluminum oxide. Take out and "polish" your silver a little, if you want. Scrub the Aluminum oxide off of the sacrificial aluminum with scouring powder and use it again. Aluminum foil I don't believe will work, I think it has a coating. This works really well if you have some silver items with fine engravings as it will really get the tarnish out of the detail. Make sure it's silver, not pewter or something else.

[id10t]

When the little old ladies get together to polish all the silver at the synagogue it takes 10 or so of 'em a case of wine and a few hours of chit chat to get the job done.

[304065]

I had been wondering what to do with those old cylinder heads. . . .

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by id10t

When the little old ladies get together to polish all the silver at the synagogue it takes 10 or so of 'em a case of wine and a few hours of chit chat to get the job done.

LOL, they are not there to polish the Silver.

[Tobra]

The "R" stands for renaissance

[red-beard]

Hugh, try baking soda instead of salt. Also, use a lot of foil, not balled up but krinkled.

You can do this with an aluminum pie pan. Put silver in pan, sprinkle with baking soda, pour in boiling water.

[dennis in se pa]

Polishing silverware for the pleasure of others does not compute. Sorry. Throw the silverware out and get stainless.

[porsche4life]

You guys use metal flatware? Richers......

[slodave]

What do you use? Plastic or your hands?

[porsche4life]

Plastic.....


Hands? What kind of damn redneck do you think I am.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Plastic.....


Hands? What kind of damn redneck do you think I am.

Spork or separate?

[VINMAN]

I just toss everything in the blast cabinet when we are done eating.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Plastic.....


Hands? What kind of damn redneck do you think I am.

Have U checked the price of Silver lately? This morning it is just under $30 an oz. Last year it was sub $15 an oz. Look at all the money Hugh made...I can just hear him whistle as he shines it up.

And Hugh anytime ya wana come over and shine my silver your welcome to show me your method.

[Jagshund]

I tried that once, Hugh, and swear it removed some silver plate from a platter. Now I just let my wife polish to her heart's content.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

I just toss everything in the blast cabinet when we are done eating.

Was wondering when this would come in the mix!

[jyl]

I really like eating with silver, it has a lustre very different from stainless. That said, our daily silver flatware and our "nice" silver flatware is all merely silverplate, not sterling, so no risk to my cheapskate credentials.

[red-beard]

Silver is also antimicrobal...

[Crowbob]

Instead of tossing in a chunk, could you use an aluminum pot instead? Silver was $23/troy oz. just 2 weeks ago.

[red-beard]

Only if you don't want it anymore. It sacrifices the aluminum in the process.