Restore elegance: Homemade tips for dazzling holiday cutlery
Before the holidays, it's worth taking out the cutlery from drawers and nooks that are rarely used. However, even the most beautiful spoons and forks lose their luster when covered with stains and deposits. You don't have to rush to buy chemical detergents to refresh them. Homemade methods are affordable and effective.
Shiny cutlery looks elegant and acts as table decor. Want to spruce up your tableware before holiday gatherings? Here are some methods worth trying.
Inviting guests over? It's a good idea to go through the plates and cutlery that will be on the table beforehand. Especially those that are used only occasionally may need some refreshing.
Dishwasher balls
A popular method involves using aluminum foil balls in the dishwasher. Some consider it the best solution. You simply place a rolled-up aluminum 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 is a kind of oxidation process, similar to polishing silver. During this process, tarnished surfaces of the cutlery oxidize. As a result, they should appear shiny.
Nothing beats polishing
If this trick doesn't yield the expected results, other traditional home cleaning methods are worth considering. Polishing cutlery is often seen as a labour-intensive task. However, using toothpaste makes everything go smoothly. 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 can notice the difference – just rinse off the remaining toothpaste.
A bath brings out the shine
Aluminum foil can be used differently. Simply wrap the cutlery and immerse it in hot water with baking soda. This combination quickly eliminates unsightly stains. This method can prove to be much more effective than the aluminum foil ball method in the dishwasher. In fact, it's been known for years; my grandmother already used it.
