Soda easy

I’d been given some old silver plated cutlery from a friend, and it was in need of a little cleaning. There are some gorgeous little teaspoons, along with some everyday teaspoons, which are always handy. The challenge with older cutlery is that it doesn’t like going into a dishwasher, so people are less inclined to use them nowadays. Also, over time they tend to stain, and become very discoloured, making them tricky to look after.

A really simple and easy way to remove any discolouration is to use some tin foil and bicarbonate of soda, with boiling water. I use a shallow metal tray, which I line with tin foil – shiney side up. Sprinkle on some bicarb, then place the cutlery in (not too much at once) and carefully pour over the boiling water. This speeds the process up. When the bicarb has done it’s thing I remove the cutlery using metal tongs.

It’s great watching the tarnished silverware becoming shiny and new again within minutes.

A simple wash in warm soapy water, and a dry with a soft tea towel, brings them up looking gorgeous.