CARE OF SILVER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 960, 29 October 1910, Page 11

CARE OF SILVER.

' Among the smaller details of domestic routine which are' often somewhat overlooked Jin busy- households is care of the silver-m daily, use, says a writer in an Australian paper. . It-so frequently happens that the spoons and forks get no other treatment than an extra rub from time'to time as they come out of the washing-up water. . Then, again, such silver may- be subjected to even more regular, cleaning,-but with astonishingly poor results, owing, to -ignorance of the simple -A B, C of sucb'work.v It does not appear .to be generally- known that methylated spirit is far superior' to water for moistening the whitening' or plate-powder used into a paste.' Some-people regard whitening as a medium for silver-cleaning with horror, nevertheless, when it is properly sifted, it answers - admirably, especially for chased or engraved- surfaces. All articles to be cleaned should be coated with the mixture of. powder and 'spirit, and then jlacod near the fire to dry quickly,, Polishing is thus accelerated, for .a .good-'-result"is not to bo gained, if. the powder is' removed before it is perfectly, dry. • \A : soft brush y should be used for the purpose, a piece of soft 1 ' cloth being employed l for the polishing operation itself, with a- a'final- rub . of chamois leather. .Silver.' or plated -ware,.even in daily use, will .remain bright , for over a week if tlio articles are steeped in clean hot' soap-suds after they are taken put of tho washing-up water. By doing this every particle of'grease is removed before the drying. Some people boil all their table silver, together with entree dishes, cruets, and the like, -in - soap-suds and spdavy; Five minutes' -boiling" is allowed, after which. the silver- is placed in--a tub, and a kettleful of. fast-boiling water poured over, so as to remove evory trace of..soap. _ A.' rub of. : powder, and a finalpolish, with the .chamois leather is all that is then needed to give the desired brightness.