Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-08-17

"All the table service was Of silver
and gold" Winifred was reading aloud
from the society columns an account OF
a dinner, and as she read the last Item
her voice was full of awe. "Think OF 1t,
Nan; plates and everything, solid sil-
ver."
81 am thinking Of it," said Nan, the
practical one; land I'm thinking also
that I'm glad I haven't on my hands the
cleaning Of all those solid silver plates
and everything The fat silver that
was given Jack and me when We were
married is more than plenty for me
when cleaning day comes around. /
like homework, but I do detest cleaning
silver"
Many women feel az Nan did; but II
silver Is cleaned regularly, little time or
effort Ia required to keep IL bright and
lustrous. The Office of Home Eco
nomics of the United States Department
of Agriculture gives the following direc-
tions on the care of silver:
CAUSES OF TARNIsH
The tarnish on silver Is silver sulphide,
and is due to the sulphur compounds In
the air where coal and gas are burned,
and also in many foods, In wool, in rub
Der, and In some bleached and dyed
materials.
This is the reason silversmiths rarely,
II ever, use white cotton flannel for their
cases for silver. Dryness prevents tar
nishing somewhat; so camphor, which
absorbs moisture, is sometimes put into
the silver drawer. Silver may be
cleaned by the use of certain powders,
pastes, and cloths, which clean by fric-
ton, by boiling 1t In Q strong alkaline
solution, or by a process known %
electrolysis.
The materials which clean by friction
are fine whiting, jewelers. rouge, and
commercial pastes or powders. The
non-commercial powders are mixed to .
paste with water, ammonia, or alcohol,
rubbed on the silver, allowed to dry,
and then polished off with a soft cloth,
channels, or q brush. The result is
bright, lustrous silver. Prepared cloths,
sold under various trade names, also
clean by friction. They are usually cot
ton flannel treated with q cleaning mix
ture, and are convenient but sometimes
relatively expensive.
The alkaline solution for cleaning sill
yer lie made by dissolving four teaspoons
borax, three teaspoons washing soda, or
two teaspoons lye (caustio soda) in one
quart water. The silver ID placed in an
old kettle or pan, covered with this solu.
ton, boiled for 10 minutes, and cooled
In the water.
TIE EIEcTRoI.yTIc METHOD
One method of removing the tarnish
from silver by electrolysis is the follow.
ing:
Fill an enameled or agateware kettle
partly full of water In which has been
dissolved one teaspoon of either wash
ing soda or baking soda and one tea
spoon salt to each quart of water. Heat
this solution to the boiling point, put In
strips of aluminium or bright zinc, add
the furnished silver, and boil 1t. The
silver must be covered completely by
the water, and each piece must be In
contact with the aluminium or the zinc,
either directly or through other silver.
When the tarnish has disappeared the
silver should be removed from the ket-
tie, washed, and dried with clean, soft
cloth. An aluminium kettle may be
used, but 1t soon corrodes and must be
cleaned, as only a clean, bright kettle
serves the purpose. The zinc alto
grows dull and then Is less active. II
may be cleaned, however, in water con-
tanning little hydrochloric (muriatic)
acid, which is very poisonous and must
be handled with extreme care.
Silver cleaned either In an alkaline
solution or by electrolysis lacks luster,
which cleaning by friction gives. 1t
may be made bright, however, by lit.
tie rubbing with soft cloth or channels.