Silver Jewelry
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Air and light are the two biggest foes of silver jewelry. So how you store your silver jewelry makes a big difference in how much it tarnishes.
Always store clean silver jewelry in a cool, dry place, wrapped separately in a soft cloth and then enclosed in a resealable plastic bag to prevent if from getting jostled about and scratched.
Clean your silver jewelry once a month if you wear it frequently. The best cleaner? A good old-fashioned silver paste or liquid publish. Apply with soft cloth as directed and then buff with
another cloth. Rinse gently in warm water if needed.
Another method: Rub with a soft cloth dipped in baking soda, using a frayed toothbrush for hard-to-reach- areas. Rinse well in warm water and buff dry with another cloth.
Still another trick: Line a small bowl with aluminum foil, shiny side toward you. Fill the bowl with hot water and mix in 1 tablespoon of bleach-free powdered laundry detergent (not liquid), such as Tide. Put the jewelry in the solution and let it soak one minute. Rinse completely and air-dry.
To clean badly tarnished or dirty silver jewelry, fill a small plastic bowl with warm water and add a few drops of liquid dishwashing detergent. Soak the jewelry in the solution overnight. Should the dirt persist after the overnight soak, clean the piece with an old toothbrush. Then rinse and dry carefully with a soft cloth.
WATCH OUT
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Air and light are the two biggest foes of silver jewelry. So how you store your silver jewelry makes a big difference in how much it tarnishes.
Always store clean silver jewelry in a cool, dry place, wrapped separately in a soft cloth and then enclosed in a resealable plastic bag to prevent if from getting jostled about and scratched.
Clean your silver jewelry once a month if you wear it frequently. The best cleaner? A good old-fashioned silver paste or liquid publish. Apply with soft cloth as directed and then buff with
another cloth. Rinse gently in warm water if needed.
Another method: Rub with a soft cloth dipped in baking soda, using a frayed toothbrush for hard-to-reach- areas. Rinse well in warm water and buff dry with another cloth.
Still another trick: Line a small bowl with aluminum foil, shiny side toward you. Fill the bowl with hot water and mix in 1 tablespoon of bleach-free powdered laundry detergent (not liquid), such as Tide. Put the jewelry in the solution and let it soak one minute. Rinse completely and air-dry.
To clean badly tarnished or dirty silver jewelry, fill a small plastic bowl with warm water and add a few drops of liquid dishwashing detergent. Soak the jewelry in the solution overnight. Should the dirt persist after the overnight soak, clean the piece with an old toothbrush. Then rinse and dry carefully with a soft cloth.
WATCH OUT
- When cleaning silver pieces with precious stones, don't use abrasives near the stones.
- Don't soak pieces with stones for longer than a few seconds; water can dissolve the glue that holds them.
- Silver hates chlorine, so take it off before jumping into the pool.
Specially treated antitarnish cloths, available at most grocery and hardware stores, may also be used to touch up silver jewelry.
Silver Serving Pieces
Silver Serving Pieces
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Silver serving pieces whether plated or sterling, benefit from frequent use. Rotate your pieces so that they will age uniformly.
Clean your silver twice a year following this tried-and-true method: Use a high-quality silver polish with antitarnish ability (3M's Tarni-Shield Silver polish with antitarnish ability polish in a circular motion, and warm water to rinse.
If you have candle wax on your silver, don't scrape it off-you could scratch the surface. Instead, soften the wax in a warm oven or with a hair dryer on low, then peel it off. Or dibble on a little turpentine, mineral spirits, or dentaured alcohol to dislodge the wax.
To clean ornate silver pieces, sprinkle on baking soda and rub gently with a soft cloth.
To wash silver, do it by hand in mild dishwashing detergent and warm water and dry immediately with a soft cloth. Water left on silver can pit and corrode it. Be especially careful with silver candlesticks, candelbra, and knife handles filled with paste or wax: If you rub too hard or rinse in hot water, they could soften and bend.
As a general rule, don't wash silver in the dishwasher; it's simply too soft to withstand the jostling and abrasion. If you must wash silver in the dishwasher, keep it away from metals such as copper and stainless steel. They will mark each other if they touch.
To restore silver's shine between cleanings, use polishing gloves and cloths or a jeweler's rouge cloth (flannel treated with a red polishing powder). These items are sold at hardware stores and many department stores.
To store a silver serving piece, slip it into an antitarnish bag or cloth. Nonbuffered tissue paper, an acid-free product sold at craft stores, also works. Then place that in a plastic bag. (Don't use newspaper, because its carbon can eat into silver.) Silica gel packets placed inside wll inhibit moisture. Don't use rubber bands to close the bag--they contain sulfur, which damages silver. Store silver serves away from sunlight.
expert advice
check the Menu >
Silver reacts badly to mustard, salt, or ketchup, so clean it right away if it touches these foods, urges Julie Reily, a conservator at the Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Don't serve eggs or mayo on silver, either. The sulfur in these foods will tarnish the silver.
Sinks
Silver serving pieces whether plated or sterling, benefit from frequent use. Rotate your pieces so that they will age uniformly.
Clean your silver twice a year following this tried-and-true method: Use a high-quality silver polish with antitarnish ability (3M's Tarni-Shield Silver polish with antitarnish ability polish in a circular motion, and warm water to rinse.
If you have candle wax on your silver, don't scrape it off-you could scratch the surface. Instead, soften the wax in a warm oven or with a hair dryer on low, then peel it off. Or dibble on a little turpentine, mineral spirits, or dentaured alcohol to dislodge the wax.
To clean ornate silver pieces, sprinkle on baking soda and rub gently with a soft cloth.
To wash silver, do it by hand in mild dishwashing detergent and warm water and dry immediately with a soft cloth. Water left on silver can pit and corrode it. Be especially careful with silver candlesticks, candelbra, and knife handles filled with paste or wax: If you rub too hard or rinse in hot water, they could soften and bend.
As a general rule, don't wash silver in the dishwasher; it's simply too soft to withstand the jostling and abrasion. If you must wash silver in the dishwasher, keep it away from metals such as copper and stainless steel. They will mark each other if they touch.
To restore silver's shine between cleanings, use polishing gloves and cloths or a jeweler's rouge cloth (flannel treated with a red polishing powder). These items are sold at hardware stores and many department stores.
To store a silver serving piece, slip it into an antitarnish bag or cloth. Nonbuffered tissue paper, an acid-free product sold at craft stores, also works. Then place that in a plastic bag. (Don't use newspaper, because its carbon can eat into silver.) Silica gel packets placed inside wll inhibit moisture. Don't use rubber bands to close the bag--they contain sulfur, which damages silver. Store silver serves away from sunlight.
expert advice
check the Menu >
Silver reacts badly to mustard, salt, or ketchup, so clean it right away if it touches these foods, urges Julie Reily, a conservator at the Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Don't serve eggs or mayo on silver, either. The sulfur in these foods will tarnish the silver.
Sinks
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With all the soap and water that flow through your sink, you'd think it would be clean all the time. But the likes of soapy deposits, food stains, rust, and water spots have a way of a accumulating quickly.
For general cleaning of any sink, get out the liquid dishwashing detergent, liquid laundry detergent, or all-purpose cleaners (such as Formula 409 and Dow Bathroom Cleaner). Using a dime-size amount of detergent and a couple of drops of water, scrub the sink with a soft sponge. Rinse away residue. Don't use an abrasive cleaning agent or applicator.
A nonabrasive cleaner, such as Spic and Span, Mr. Clean, or Bon Ami, is good for very bad stains.
For a lightly stained procelain sink, try one of these treatments:
With all the soap and water that flow through your sink, you'd think it would be clean all the time. But the likes of soapy deposits, food stains, rust, and water spots have a way of a accumulating quickly.
For general cleaning of any sink, get out the liquid dishwashing detergent, liquid laundry detergent, or all-purpose cleaners (such as Formula 409 and Dow Bathroom Cleaner). Using a dime-size amount of detergent and a couple of drops of water, scrub the sink with a soft sponge. Rinse away residue. Don't use an abrasive cleaning agent or applicator.
A nonabrasive cleaner, such as Spic and Span, Mr. Clean, or Bon Ami, is good for very bad stains.
For a lightly stained procelain sink, try one of these treatments:
- Rub a freshly cut lemon around the sink to cut through the grease. Rinse with running water.
- Use baking soda or tri-sodium phosphate (available at home improvement stores) in warm water. Sprinkle a little baking soda around the sink and then rub it with a damp sponge. Rinse with vinegar or lemon juice to help neutralize the alkaline cleaner and then rinse with running water.
- Make a paste the consistency of toothpaste with baking soda and water and gently rub the sink with a sponge or soft nylon brush. Polish with a paper towel or soft cloth.
Never use scouring powders or steel wool on porcelian sinks, because they will scratch.
simple SOLUTIONS
Neutralize That Acid >
you can cut you cleaning chores by not leaving acidic foods-citrus fruits, cranberries, vinegar, salad dressings, tea, or coffee--on your sink's surface for a long time. Either wash the dishes right away or put them in a dishwasher, advises Mary Findley, owner of Mary Moppins Cleaning System in Eugene, Oregon. Dry the sink immediately after use to prevent water spotting.
To remove heavy stains, even rust, rub the sink with a paste consisting of 8 ounces of powdered borax (available in the laundry section of supermarkets) and 2 ounces of lemon juice. Dab a cloth or sponge in the paste, rub around the sink, and then rinse with running water.
To remove rust from stainless steel or iron sinks, wipe WD-40 on the rust mark with a cloth and rinse thoroughly.
To remove water spots from any sink, use a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol or vinegar.
For a sparkling white sink, place paper towels across the bottom and saturate them with household bleach. Let it sit for 30 minutes and rinse with running water. Note Do not use bleach in colored porcelains sinks, because it will fade the color. Clean these sinks with mild liquid detergents, vinegar, or baking soda.
To maintain your sink's luster, apply Gel-Gloss, an automobile cleaner and wax, with a soft cotton towel. Wipe the cleaner on, let it dry for five or ten minutes, and then wipe it off. Do this every three months.
expert advice
The Faucet Fix >
The white mineral deposits that settle on faucet spouts and handles succumb to white wine vinegar. Carol Houlik, product director for Kitchens at American Standard, likes to soak a paper towel in the vinegar, squeeze out the excess, and wrap the towel around the chrome fixture. After 10 minutes, she takes off the wet towel and buffs the chrome with a dry one. voila--clean chrome! She has this word of caution:
Do not use this method on brass or colored fixtures, as these finishes might react or discolor.
Houlik offers an additional tip: "while you have the vinegar out, it also works to unclog sink drains mucked up with soap residue. And it's safer than chemical drain openers."
Stains in Corian-type sinks can be removed with tooth paste or a paste of baking soda and water. Gently scrub the paste on with a white scrubbing pad, available at home improvement stores. Your last resort is scrubbing very gently with 800 grit wet-or-dry sandpaper. Scrubbing too hard could wear a groove in the material. Polish the cleaned spot with a special polish made for Corian surfaces sold at home improvement centers.
Water spots that have etched themselves into a sink's porcelain are extremely difficult to remove. Buff such spots out with a polishing compound as soon as you notice the spots. Use jeweler's rouge with porcelain sinks, or go to a lapidary store and ask for cerium oxide. Pink cerium oxide is used for polishing gold and silver. Make a paste according to the package directions and then scrub.
To cover a chip or scratch on a white porcelain surface--including sinks, tubs, and appliances --pick up a container of white enamel paint at your hardware or paint store. Following the package directions, paint over the mar with a small artist's brush, let it dry, rub with fine sandpaper, and paint again. Repeat the process until the painted area is even with the surrounding surface. If you want to get fancier, buy a porcelain repair kit, which will include filler, hardener, cleaning spray, sandpaper, and more.
simple SOLUTIONS
Neutralize That Acid >
you can cut you cleaning chores by not leaving acidic foods-citrus fruits, cranberries, vinegar, salad dressings, tea, or coffee--on your sink's surface for a long time. Either wash the dishes right away or put them in a dishwasher, advises Mary Findley, owner of Mary Moppins Cleaning System in Eugene, Oregon. Dry the sink immediately after use to prevent water spotting.
To remove heavy stains, even rust, rub the sink with a paste consisting of 8 ounces of powdered borax (available in the laundry section of supermarkets) and 2 ounces of lemon juice. Dab a cloth or sponge in the paste, rub around the sink, and then rinse with running water.
To remove rust from stainless steel or iron sinks, wipe WD-40 on the rust mark with a cloth and rinse thoroughly.
To remove water spots from any sink, use a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol or vinegar.
For a sparkling white sink, place paper towels across the bottom and saturate them with household bleach. Let it sit for 30 minutes and rinse with running water. Note Do not use bleach in colored porcelains sinks, because it will fade the color. Clean these sinks with mild liquid detergents, vinegar, or baking soda.
To maintain your sink's luster, apply Gel-Gloss, an automobile cleaner and wax, with a soft cotton towel. Wipe the cleaner on, let it dry for five or ten minutes, and then wipe it off. Do this every three months.
expert advice
The Faucet Fix >
The white mineral deposits that settle on faucet spouts and handles succumb to white wine vinegar. Carol Houlik, product director for Kitchens at American Standard, likes to soak a paper towel in the vinegar, squeeze out the excess, and wrap the towel around the chrome fixture. After 10 minutes, she takes off the wet towel and buffs the chrome with a dry one. voila--clean chrome! She has this word of caution:
Do not use this method on brass or colored fixtures, as these finishes might react or discolor.
Houlik offers an additional tip: "while you have the vinegar out, it also works to unclog sink drains mucked up with soap residue. And it's safer than chemical drain openers."
Stains in Corian-type sinks can be removed with tooth paste or a paste of baking soda and water. Gently scrub the paste on with a white scrubbing pad, available at home improvement stores. Your last resort is scrubbing very gently with 800 grit wet-or-dry sandpaper. Scrubbing too hard could wear a groove in the material. Polish the cleaned spot with a special polish made for Corian surfaces sold at home improvement centers.
Water spots that have etched themselves into a sink's porcelain are extremely difficult to remove. Buff such spots out with a polishing compound as soon as you notice the spots. Use jeweler's rouge with porcelain sinks, or go to a lapidary store and ask for cerium oxide. Pink cerium oxide is used for polishing gold and silver. Make a paste according to the package directions and then scrub.
To cover a chip or scratch on a white porcelain surface--including sinks, tubs, and appliances --pick up a container of white enamel paint at your hardware or paint store. Following the package directions, paint over the mar with a small artist's brush, let it dry, rub with fine sandpaper, and paint again. Repeat the process until the painted area is even with the surrounding surface. If you want to get fancier, buy a porcelain repair kit, which will include filler, hardener, cleaning spray, sandpaper, and more.
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