Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-25
SILVER AND JEWELS
Care and Attention These
Articles Require.
CLEANSING FLUIDS
TABLE PIECES SHOULD BE WASH
ED IN BOILING soAPSUDs.
Other Shining-Up Processes Need
Not Then Be as
Frequent.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
One phase of life's little ironies is found
in the scarcity Of servants and in the mut-
tipilcation of our personal and household
belongings which demand more constant
care and attention. Many articles for
merly considered luxuries have in this ex
travagant and expansive age of ours taken
upon themselves the names and require
ments Of necessities Not the least of these
are the enormous quantities of plate or silver
we use even in comparatively simple homes
for the dinner table, dressing table and as
| ornaments throughout the house.
The keeping of silver in good condition
alone requires great deal Of care and not
a little work, and where servants are not
plentiful as blackberries in summer any
| method by which a maximum of cleanliness
and brilliance is attained with minimum
of labor will be received by the housewife
with applause
1t may seem rather contradictory to say
that in nine households out of ten where
silver is cared for at all 1t Is cleaned far
too often. Many rigid housekeepers have a
certain day for doing certain things; sys-
tenn is their household god. A room Is
swept on a particular day even should there
be nothing to gather up but the nap Of the
| carpet. 1 am not disparaging regularity
and system, which are absolutely necessary
If the domestic machinery is to run COM
fortably and smoothly, but there is fear
of being too Jealous in the cause, and silver
is apt to catch too much of this kind of
energy. To begin with, too much rubbing
of silver destroys and blurs the delicately
chased patterns, and many of the powders
used contain mercury, which is very in
furious, especially to electro plate. as 1t
| causes the silvering to become brittle and
worn.
The best thing to do for silver is to
wash it whenever it is used in boiling
which a
little ammonia to increase the brightness
of the metal. Until the soapsuds are suf-
ficiently cool to allow the hands to be put
in the water stir the silver very gently
| in the pan with clean, old wooden spoon.
AS soon as the articles are washed rinse
| them in more clean, hot water. When
| thoroughly rinsed. dry quickly to avoid
water marks AS soon as they are dry
and while they are still hot rub vigorously
with a chamois skin. If this treatment
Is given, once a month is often enough
| for regular clean.
The Big Cleaning Up.
For the serious clean the following
| mixture is recommended: To two ounces
Of French (prepared) chalk add one-quar-
ter of an ounce of ammonia, four ounces
of alcohol and two ounces Of water. Add
| to this when the chalk and water are en-
| tirely Incorporated ten grains Of cyanide
| Of potassium dissolved in two ounces OF
drops Of Oil Of sassafras may be put in.
To apply pour little in a saucer, dip
in the end of a soft brush and go over
| the surface of the article. If 1t is deep
ly engraved, what painters call q
"stfppling stroke"-that is, jab the bris-
ties into the grooves of the chasing
pad filled with cotton wool Is best to use
for highly polished silver. After the ar
ticle has been restored to its original white
| ness wash in hot water and CASTLE soap,
| then rinse in scaldng water.
How to Hold Forks.
Never lean forks or spoons against the
| table to clean them. for unconsciously you
press too hard in your attempt to secure
a fine polish, and they are almost inevi-
| tably bent or twisted.
A very useful little machine has been
| invented especially for cleaning forks. The
leather-covered surface Is divided in order
| to clean between the prongs. BY simply
drawing thin strips OF leather through
the prongs a fine shine is produced. It
will, however. be found much better to
hold the forks and spoons in the hand when
cleaning them. Professional plate cleaners
| say that nothing Is so effectual as the ball
| of the thumb; but this process is almost
too heroic for the average cleaner.
Spoons are especially liable to become
| stained, egg spoons being easily furnished
| by the sulphur contained in the egg itself.
When this is the case, they should be rub,
washed in the ordinary way. Saltcellars,
unless glass lined, are apt to become dis
figured by green and black stains II the
salt is allowed to remain long in the hold
er. The homeopathic principle of like cur
ing like applies perfectly IN this instance.
Fruit and other acid stains should never
be left on silver as the result Is apt to be
disastrous. This is the case with cake
| baskets. If rich and buttery cakes are left
in them. the grease soaking through turns
the metal green.
Rinsing Teapota
Teapots seldom receive proper attention.
They should be rinsed out directly after
using with boiling water. To prevent any
suggestion of a musty, disagreeable odor,
which would give the next brew of tea a
most unpleasant taste. they should once
week be filed over night with boiling water
to which is added a lump of soda the size of
a nut. Close the lid and let it stand until
the morning. then pour out the contents
and wash the pot with boiling water,
scrubbing with a brush kept for the pur
pose.
In articles where silver and wood are
combined the latter must be carefully
cleaned with cloth wrung out of warm
water and then similarly treated with a
cold BATH A piece of paper cut to fit over
the wood protects 1t while the silver Is be-
ing manipulated. 1t Is well to keep frosted
silver in good condition by constant small
attentions as too frequent serious clean
ing will inture the surface Of the metal
When oxidized silver is very much discol-
ored, solution of one ounce of sulphate
| of soda dissolved in a pint of boiling water
| applied with a flannel rag will be found
| efficacious in removing the stains.
To prevent silver from furnishing place
| a few Jumps of camphor in the box con- 4
| tanning the articles If silver is to be
| stored for any length of time it should be