The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-12-15
The Household.
How to Clean Silverwear and Keep
It Clean.

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It Clean.
First of all it may be proper to con-
slider how the plate should be kept
when not in use. The best thing, per.
haps, in which to keep silverwear is a
canton flannel or green baize bag or
case. This should be made of sufficient
width to accommodate the various
articles, are stitched into narrow
pockets, with suitable openings at the
top. Into these pockets the several
pieces Of silver are slipped, each by
itself; the whole is then rolled and tied
and may be put away in some dry
drawer or closet till wanted for use.
At that time quick wiping with a
piece of chamois will put everything
in presentable condition.
The proper care of silver begins
with the washing, after it has been
used at table or elsewhere. Ordinarily
it follows the glassware, being second
in the wash, and authorities differ
somewhat as to the best manner in
which to treat it. One class of experts
hold that it should only be washed in
boiling hot water, free from soap; while
others would have fine soap dissolved
in the water. All agree that the water
should be hot-~the nearer to boiling
the better-and that it should be free
from coarse soap, or anything else
which may be productive of scratches
or blemish of any sort. As to the use
of soap, this may properly be deter
mined by the condition of the articles
to receive treatment.
Following the washing, rinse the
plate in hot, clean water. wipe dry
with soft cloth, and imme ed lately rub
with soft leather-chamois is by far the
best. All Of this, which may seem a
little formidable from the reading, re-
quires but very brief time, and no
serious labor, if the right articles are
kept--as they should beat hand
ready for service. If this course is
conscientiously pursued, every time
the silver is washed after use, the
formal "cleaning" will come quite sell
dom, and will not be very much of a
bugbear when it actually puts in an ap.
pearance. 1t must be born in mind,
however, that the articles are to be
wiped entirely dry, and that the polish.
ing leather must also be dry and clean,
since its damFness or the presence of
dirt, oil or the like, will spoil the effect.
When formal polishing is necessary
the initial steps are those above de-
scribed for washing. Every piece of
plate must be made as clean as possible
and wiped entirely dry. There are a
good many kinds of "siver polish"
upon the market, but about the best,
after all, and the base of most of them,
is the old French whiting, which taken
in its purity may be used without
danger of injury to silver. If there is
any question as to the purity of the
whiting, it should be sifted through O
hair sieve, or better still, through a
piece of muslin, before being used. 1t
is then wet with water or alcohol-the
latter giving a specially brilliant effect
taken upon soft rag and the article
thoroughly but carefully rubbed over.
The surplus is then wiped away with a
soft cloth, proper brush is used to re-
move any traces of whiting from the
chasing, and the article is lightly polish
ed with leather, when, if the work has
been properly done, the heart of the
mistress will swell with pride as she
glances over the shining surfaces,
A formula which is 10 use at one of
the large manufactures for cleaning
silver is SO simple as to be almost in
credible; yet it is said to do its work
thoroughly and perfectly. In eight
quarts of boiling water, half pound
of sal soda is dissolved, and the silver
is dipped in the hot liquid. 1t is then
Immediately washed in suds, in the