Cutting edge tips for washing cutlery

Your cutlery should be so clean and shiny that dinner guests could use a knife blade like a mirror to see themselves. They probably shouldn't, but they should be able to. Here are some tips for washing cutlery.

• Rinse your cutlery under running water immediately after eating. You may not want to wash the dishes if, say, you're entertaining, but rinsing will remove food that might cause pitting or staining.
• Be especially diligent about eggs, fruit juices, tomato-based foods, lemon, vinegar, salty foods (including butter), mustard and salad dressings. Silver is most vulnerable, but stainless steel, despite its name, isn't completely immune to the threat of corrosion.
• You can also soak cutlery in warm water in a sink or wash bowl, but don't soak hollow-handled ware for long, lest it loosen the soldering.

• Wash stainless steel cutlery in the dishwasher, along with your dishes, but don't spill detergent directly on the pieces, because it could pit or spot them.
• However, your cutlery will be shinier and more lustrous if you dry it by hand with a soft dishcloth.
• If your stainless steel cutlery has dulled over the years, you can easily brighten it by soaking it in 4 litres (4 quarts) of hot water mixed with 5 ml (1 tsp) of ammonia. Then rinse with clear hot water and dry well with a clean cloth.

• Wash silver cutlery, both plate and sterling, by hand.
• Use dishwashing liquid in hot water.
• Rinse thoroughly with clear, hot water and dry immediately with a soft dishcloth.
• Don't use abrasive cleaners or scrubbers, such as steel wool, as they will dull the finish.
• The sulfur in eggs and egg products (such as mayonnaise) will cause silver to tarnish instantly. So do pollutants in the air, but they work more slowly. Tarnish is not removed by regular washing. You'll have to use a silver polish on that.

• Clean pewter cutlery with methylated spirits on a soft cloth.
• Follow up with the hot, soapy water treatment described above.

• To get the most out of your good silver, take it out of hiding now and then. Frequent use and buffing will enhance the patina and will give pleasure to you and its other users.
• Store it in a clean, dry drawer.
• If you store your silver for long, use either flannel cutlery rolls or a wooden, felt-lined chest to deter tarnish.
• You can also prevent tarnish by storing silver pieces in plastic wrap, making sure to remove as much air as possible.