Caring for your Silver

Sterling Silver If you own sterling silver, congratulations! You possess one of the most prized metals in the world. Sterling isn't just for holidays, celebrations or special gatherings--sterling is at its' best when used every day. Follow these simple guidelines to keep your silver lovely. Washing Wash silver immediately after each use to avoid the staining and tarnishing that certain foods promote. While we recommend washing sterling by hand, washing silver (even gold-accented pieces) in an automatic dishwasher is safe, if you keep these important tips in mind:

Rinse foods from silver before placing in the dishwasher. Avoid detergents containing chlorides. Avoid lemon-scented detergents, which contain acids harmful to silver. Use slightly less detergent than recommended by your dishwasher's instruction manual. Never sprinkle detergent directly on silver. Minute particles left on silver can cause pitting. In hard-water areas, use a water-softening agent. Remove silver before the drying cycle begins and hand-dry with a soft cloth like flannel. Store only after the silver has cooled. Always wash sterling and stainless steel separately. If you hand-wash, please remember to: Use a mild dishwashing liquid. Dry pieces completely with a soft cloth like flannel. Store only after the silver has cooled. Always wash sterling and stainless steel separately. The "washing recipe" that calls for a mixture of salt, baking soda and water in an aluminum pan is harmful to silver! Stay away from this method. Tarnish The best way to minimize tarnish is to USE YOUR STERLING! Not only does using silver every day enrich your dining experience, constant use keeps pieces bright and shiny. If your complete service is larger than your regular dining needs, simply rotate pieces as you use them. Tarnish is caused by certain foods that contain sulfides, like:

Eggs Fruit Juices Salad dressing Mustard Vinegar Ketchup Tomatoes Salt/salty foods (like butter) If these foods remain on silver for any length of time, they will cause silver to tarnish. Salt will also cause spotting if it isn't washed off immediately. Polishing Sometimes, tarnish is unavoidable. To restore your sterling's lovely sheen:

Use very soft cloths (like flannel) to polish silver. If you use your sterling regularly, you will only need to polish it twice a year, at most. If you have gold-accented sterling, try to keep polish away from gold tones. Closely follow the instructions on your polish. Avoid all-purpose metal polishes or dip cleaners; look for a non-abrasive foaming paste cleaner instead. Don't overrub your silver. As you polish, briskly rub each piece lengthwise, never crosswise or in a circular motion. Storage

Keep silver in a place tha is free of moisture. When your silver is in regular use, store it in a clean, dry drawer. When silver is being stored away for a length of time, place it in treated flannel cloths (available at jewelry and department stores where silver is sold), or consider purchasing an anti-tarnish storage chest, which holds pieces securely. Do not wrap silver in any type of plastic. Never tie or wrap silver with newspaper or rubber bands, which contain high amounts of sulfur that lead to tarnishing. Try not to bang silver, or place it underneath heavy objects. Your Silver's Patina Silver will scratch and chafe as it's used and washed. This is a normal and natural part of silver's character! The interlacing of scratches eventually gives your silver the soft, rich patina that makes it more beautiful with age. This process allows sterling to become a cherished family heirloom. Stainless Steel Stainless steel is completely dishwasher-safe and easy to maintain. Follow these few simple hints to ensure your stainless steel flatware lasts for many years:

Avoid soaking stainless flatware in water for a prolonged period of time or overnight. When loading your dishwasher, make sure knife blades don't come into contact with other utensils. This will prevent blades from nicking or scratching other pieces. Never pour detergent directly onto flatware. Should detergent film build up on your flatware, wash (either by hand or in a dishwasher) and hand-dry to remove film. If washing by hand, wash in hot soapy water using a mild soap or dishwashing detergent. -Rinse in hot water and dry immediately. If stubborn stains or rust should occur, use a non-abrasive stainless or metal polish paste or cream. Avoid grainy cleaners. Pitting and spotting may occur from water that has a high mineral content, undissolved particles of a high-chloride dishwashing detergent, or salty foods.