How to Clean Stainless Silverware
Your stainless steel silverware is strong enough to stand up to years of everyday use. Unlike sterling silver, stainless steel requires no frequent maintenance to keep it shiny and attractive. Over time and with frequent use, however, it may become somewhat dull and less shiny. Restore the beauty of your stainless steel flatware with basic cleaning and polishing whenever it looks dull. With little effort and time, your silverware will look new again. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Dishwashing soap
- Dishcloth
- Dishtowel
- White vinegar
- Soft cloth
- Silver polish
Instructions
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Wash your stainless steel silverware by hand with dishwashing soap. Fill the sink with sudsy water and wash each utensil by hand with a dishcloth. Rinse the silverware with warm water and dry it with a dishtowel to prevent spots and streaks from drying on the utensils.
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Saturate a soft cloth with white vinegar and polish the stainless steel silverware with it. Rub the silverware briskly with the cloth, rinse the silverware and buff it dry with a dry, soft cloth.
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Rub silver polish into the silverware once or twice each year to shine the flatware and remove spots and stains. Wash the silver polish off the utensils by hand washing with dishwashing soap. Rinse off the soapy residue and dry the silverware with a dishtowel.
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Tips & Warnings
You can wash stainless steel silverware in the dishwasher with satisfactory results if you rinse the utensils first with water to remove excess food and debris. Over time, however, washing stainless steel silverware in the dishwasher instead of hand washing may contribute to dull or stained utensils due to harsh detergents.
Try polishing the stainless steel silverware with olive oil or club soda to remove stains and shine the surfaces. Rub either liquid into the surface of the utensils to clean them, wash away the residue and then dry the silverware by hand.
References
- Photo Credit spoons image by Allyson Ricketts from Fotolia.com
