Polishing secrets: Home remedies to revive dulled cutlery
Before the holidays, it's worth bringing out the cutlery from drawers and nooks that are rarely used. However, even the most beautiful spoons and forks can lose their shine when covered with stains and tarnish. There's no need to buy chemical detergents immediately to refresh them; homemade methods are both cheap and effective.
Shiny cutlery looks elegant and serves as a table decoration. Want to refresh the look of your tableware before holiday gatherings? Here are some methods worth trying.
Inviting guests? It's a good idea to sort through the plates and cutlery that will be used on the table in advance. Especially those that are used only occasionally may need refreshing.
Dishwasher balls
A popular method involves using aluminium foil balls in the dishwasher. Some people consider it the best solution. You need to place a rolled-up aluminium foil ball in the cutlery basket. This way, it doesn't scrub the cutlery, which could lead to damage. The foil ball interacts with the chemicals in the dishwasher tablets. The reaction that occurs as a result of this "meeting" is a kind of oxidation process. It's similar to what happens when polishing silver, where tarnished surfaces of the cutlery oxidise. As a result, they should be shiny.
Nothing beats polishing
If this trick doesn't produce the expected results, it's also worth considering other, more traditional home cleaning methods. Polishing cutlery is often seen as a laborious task. However, using toothpaste can make the process smoother. Its abrasive properties effectively help polish metal surfaces.
A small amount of toothpaste applied to a cloth can tackle stains on forks, spoons, and knives. After just a few strokes, you should notice the difference – you just need to rinse off the remaining toothpaste.
A bath brings out the shine
Aluminium foil can be used in another way. Simply wrap the cutlery in it and immerse it in hot water with bicarbonate of soda. This combination quickly eliminates unsightly stains. This method has proven more effective than the aluminium foil ball method in the dishwasher. Additionally, it's been known for years; my grandmother already used it.
