Polishing the "silver"?

C

Camper6

Well-known Member
Location
Northwestern Ontario Canada
I remember polishing the real silver kitchen forks and spoons in the good old days that were tarnished.

But the ordinary stainless steel ones need a touch up once in a while also.

I used Comet cleaner powder on these old faithfuls that were getting kind of dingy. Just wet a paper towel and dip it in the powder. What an improvement.

polishing.jpg
 

Camper6 said:
I remember polishing the real silver kitchen forks and spoons in the good old days that were tarnished.

But the ordinary stainless steel ones need a touch up once in a while also.

I used Comet cleaner powder on these old faithfuls that were getting kind of dingy. Just wet a paper towel and dip it in the powder. What an improvement.

View attachment 117791
Click to expand...
Another tip for bringing back the luster in modern day stainless cutlery... a splash of bleach in the wash water, and allow your stainless to sit for an hour before washing.
 
Camper6 said:
I remember polishing the real silver kitchen forks and spoons in the good old days that were tarnished.

But the ordinary stainless steel ones need a touch up once in a while also.

I used Comet cleaner powder on these old faithfuls that were getting kind of dingy. Just wet a paper towel and dip it in the powder. What an improvement.

View attachment 117791
Click to expand...
Not meaning to go off topic, but thanks for jogging my memory- Comet is what it was...
When I was a little kid, I thought I'd be helpful by cleaning the kitchen sink.. figured if one product was good, two together would be better... mixed Palmolive dish detergent and Comet, and almost went unconscious from the fumes...
 
Camper6 said:
Not a good combination. Vinegar is an acid, soda is sodium bicarbonate. Mix the two together and it just fizzes up. They neutralize each other.
Click to expand...
Camper. I’m 60 and have been using this combination for about 4 decades. It fizzles up. It works great. I’m perfectly aware of what ingredients they are and how well they work. The thread was about cleaning. If you said that comet and vinegar was a dangerous combo, I would agree, but not the two I’m using. Try it before you criticize it.
 
When the rhubarb in the garden is no longer usable for eating I pick it and boil it up in a little water with my stainless, let it sit over night and they look beautiful in the morning. I guess it works because the rhubarb has such a high acid content.
I can only imagine what it does to your stomach.
In case your wondering, I don't eat the rhubarb I used for cooking the stainless . I'm not quite that thrifty.
 
Not to sidetrack this great conversation, but some 40 years ago, possibly more, I recall my mom dropping Comet cleaning powder from her, because it was found to be cancer causing.

Powdered cleansers are deadly from all that I have read.

Something to think about.
 
Keesha said:
Camper. I’m 60 and have been using this combination for about 4 decades. It fizzles up. It works great. I’m perfectly aware of what ingredients they are and how well they work. The thread was about cleaning. If you said that comet and vinegar was a dangerous combo, I would agree, but not the two I’m using.
Click to expand...
You are 60? Well I'm 27 years older if that means anything. So what do you do, soak them in the solution? I remember as a kid, putting soda in a paper towel and vinegar in a bottle. Then putting a cork in the bottle and it would blow the cork off. When using my method you actually have to polish the utensils. The picture I posted shows the results. I should have done before and after.
 
Ruth n Jersey said:
When the rhubarb in the garden is no longer usable for eating I pick it and boil it up in a little water with my stainless, let it sit over night and they look beautiful in the morning. I guess it works because the rhubarb has such a high acid content.
I can only imagine what it does to your stomach.
In case your wondering, I don't eat the rhubarb I used for cooking the stainless . I'm not quite that thrifty.
Click to expand...
Well, Ruth, I'd say it's about high-time you got with the times! LOL! :ROFLMAO:
 
Camper6 said:
You are 60? Well I'm 27 years older if that means anything. So what do you do, soak them in the solution? I remember as a kid, putting soda in a paper towel and vinegar in a bottle. Then putting a cork in the bottle and it would blow the cork off. When using my method you actually have to polish the utensils. The picture I posted shows the results. I should have done before and after.
Click to expand...
Yes! If you mix the two with restricted air, pressure will build and that’s what will happen but you don’t mix it in a bottle. You use a teaspoon full of baking soda and add enough vinegar to make a paste. With a cloth use put the paste on the silverware. I leave it there to dry and later rub it off. It works really well.

I use vinegar for so many things. the other day I used vinegar with salt to effectively de-weed my driveway. It’s far safer than those chemical ones. It much cheaper and works much better.
 
Aunt Marg said:
Not to sidetrack this great conversation, but some 40 years ago, possibly more, I recall my mom dropping Comet cleaning powder from her, because it was found to be cancer causing.

Powdered cleansers are deadly from all that I have read.

Something to think about.
Click to expand...
Aunt Marg said:
Not to sidetrack this great conversation, but some 40 years ago, possibly more, I recall my mom dropping Comet cleaning powder from her, because it was found to be cancer causing.

Powdered cleansers are deadly from all that I have read.

Something to think about.
Click to expand...
Comet cleaner is dangerous if you create fumes by mixing it with other chemicals. There's a warning on the package.
It's sodium carbonate which is like baking soda. My method was to wet a paper towel and dip it in the powder and use it as a polish. No fumes result.
I suppose you could do it with toothpaste as well.
 
Keesha said:
Yes! If you mix the two with restricted air, pressure will build and that’s what will happen but you don’t mix it in a bottle. You use a teaspoon full of baking soda and add enough vinegar to make a paste. With a cloth use put the paste on the silverware. I leave it there to dry and later rub it off. It works really well.

I use vinegar for so many things. the other day I used vinegar with salt to effectively de-weed my driveway. It’s far safer than those chemical ones. It much cheaper and works much better.
Click to expand...
Yes vinegar now is sold as a cleaning agent. Salt and vinegar can be used for cleaning copper bottom pans. I can't find Twinle anymore and I can't find ammonia anymore to scrub my kitchen floor.
 
Camper6 said:
Yes vinegar now is sold as a cleaning agent. Salt and vinegar can be used for cleaning copper bottom pans. I can't find Twinle anymore and I can't find ammonia anymore to scrub my kitchen floor.
Click to expand...
Have you tried Home Hardware for ammonia?

That's where I buy mine. Also check around at your local Industrial cleaning supply outlets. If they don't have it I'm sure then can order it.
 
O.K. Folks . Challenge. Send a picture compared to mine.
Keesha said:
Yes! If you mix the two with restricted air, pressure will build and that’s what will happen but you don’t mix it in a bottle. You use a teaspoon full of baking soda and add enough vinegar to make a paste. With a cloth use put the paste on the silverware. I leave it there to dry and later rub it off. It works really well.

I use vinegar for so many things. the other day I used vinegar with salt to effectively de-weed my driveway. It’s far safer than those chemical ones. It much cheaper and works much better.
Click to expand...
Air pressure builds because of the chemical reaction. You didn't specify how you used it.
 
Aunt Marg said:
Have you tried Home Hardware for ammonia?

That's where I buy mine. Also check around at your local Industrial cleaning supply outlets. If they don't have it I'm sure then can order it.
Click to expand...
I'm afraid no one here wants to carry it. There is a chemical warehouse in town and they don't carry it or could tell me where to get it. The fumes are dangerous. You need ventilation while using it.
 
Camper6 said:
I'm afraid no one here wants to carry it. There is a chemical warehouse in town and they don't carry it or could tell me where to get it. The fumes are dangerous. You need ventilation while using it.
Click to expand...
That's a shame.

I've been using ammonia for decades, not much, but still, a nice cleaning agent to have on hand for certain things.

When we moved into our current home, the wax buildup on the linoleum/vinyl floors was insane, but two buckets filled with hot water along with a dash of ammonia, stripped the floors down to new again.

Also love ammonia for greasy cleanup jobs in the kitchen.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top