Silver Cleaning Methods--1856
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 12:24 pm
Silver cleaning methods as offered by 'A Manual of Domestic Economy' by John Henry Walsh FRCS in 1856.
Don't try this at home!
Plate-cleaning. An Irishman would probably say, that the first thing in cleaning plate is to take care not to make it dirty. No plate powder or rubbing will remove scratches, caused by the careless mixture of spoons and forks with the knives after using them. It is therefore of the greatest importance to keep the silver In a tray by itself, and to wash it in soap and water immediately after it has been used, finishing with clean water, and rubbing it dry with a wash leather. When treated In this way plate requires very little powder of any kind to renew its polish, and it is only for ill-used and scratched silver that the various and much-vaunted plate-powders are required. All those which are composed of chalk in any shape, or ammonia, are innocent, whilst the presence of mercury. as indicated by the slight tinge of a slate blue colour in the powder, is exceedingly prejudicial. Servants are very fond of these mercurial preparations, because they act quickly, and give a good polish after cleaning ; but this soon tarnishes, because a certain portion of the amalgam made with the silver and mercury is left on the surface of the former, and the consequence Is that it tarnishes by oxidation on exposure to the air. Gas and sulphurous coals are veгу apt to blacken silver, the former by not being completely purified from sulphuretted hydrogen, and the latter from causing its presence in large volume; and I have known silver made quite black in a single night by the burning of coals containing sulphur in the room. To remove this deep stain, or that caused by long exposure to the air, requires something more than mere chalk, and the jewellers use an oxide of iron called rouge, which is an innocent preparation, being prepared by the precipitation of sulphate of Iron by carbonate of potash, and then exposing the dried powder to a high heat. The leathers which are employed are the wash leathers of the shops, and they should be washed occasionally when they become greasy and blackened with the oxide. When the plate is only slightly soiled, many good managers put it into a large saucepan of soft water, cold, with a lump of whiting and some shavings of yellow soap to make a good lather. They then boil It half an hour, rinse it in cold water, rub with a soft cloth, and afterwards with a plate-leather. This prevents the rubbing off the dead frost-work from the chasing, in removing tarnished spots. The following powders are used by various parties, and any of them will serve the purpose, elbow- grease being needed for all, and indeed, being the great and important point in all plate-cleaning.
PLATE POWDER-No. 1–Take one pound of the best whiting, or of prepared chalk, and rub it to a fine powder. Then sift it- mix together four ounces of sprits of turpentine, two ounces of spirits of wine, one ounce of spirits of camphor, and half an ounce of spirits of hartshorn. Then add the whiting gradually- to the liquid, stirring in a little at a time, and mixing the whole thoroughly till it is of the consistence of cream : put it Into a very close vessel (a large bottle or a white jar), and cork it tightly, tying down a leather over the cork. To use the mixture, first stir it up, then pour out a sufficient portion into a bowl or pan, and with a soft clean sponge cover the silver with it so as to give it a coat like whitewash. Set the silver aside for ten minutes, or more, till the paste has dried into a powder, then brush it off, and polish first with a buckskin, then with a silk handkerchief. It will be found very convenient to keep this mixture always in the house. It makes the plate look beautiful and new.
PLATE POWDER- No. 2.–The most common method of cleaning silver is with pulverized whiting mixed with whisky; or, with spirits of wine, which is better. The whiting must be made as fine as possible ; for if there are any coarse or rough particles among it, they will scratch the silver. You may powder it very finely, either by pounding it in a mortar, or by tying it up in a clean rag, laying it down on the hearth, and beating it with a hammer; after which, spread it thinly over a large plate, and place it before the fire to dry. Then sift it through a piece of coarse book-muslin or leno. Mix the whiting into a paste or cream, with whisky or spirits of wine, or with water if the expense of the two first is objected to; dip a flannel or sponge into It, and coat the silver all over with the mixture; after which, lay all the articles in the sun to dry ; or place them on an old japanned waiter before the fire, but not very near it. The paste must become so dry on the articles, that you may dust it off them like flour, with a soft cloth. Afterwards, with the smallest brush, rub between the prongs of the forks, and go over all the minute or delicate parts of the silver. The plain or un-ornamented parts are best rubbed with flannel, as they show the most trifling scraches. Next, polish with a buckskin or a chamois-leather; and finish with a soft silk handkerchief before you begin to clean your plate, wash it in boiling water, that no grease or syrup may remain on it.
To Clean German Silver.–Forks of this composition were at one time much in use ; and when very good it has a resemblance to genuine silver, and is equally durable. It is by no means costly, and when properly taken care of and kept bright it looks very well. After using it should be put immediately into hot water and washed well, and wiped dry with a soft cloth. Once a week let it be washed in soap suds then cleaned with Plate Powder No.2, which afterwards should be brushed off. Should this metal become discoloured or spotted by vinegar or other acids, wash it first, then clean it with sweet oil and powdered rotten stone. If the spoons or forks have become very much soiled and discoloured, you may make a mixture of a quarter of a pint of vinegar with half an ounce each of Alum and Cream of Tartar; add this to a pint of boiling water, dip the plate into the mixture and rub it dry.
Trev.
.
Don't try this at home!
Plate-cleaning. An Irishman would probably say, that the first thing in cleaning plate is to take care not to make it dirty. No plate powder or rubbing will remove scratches, caused by the careless mixture of spoons and forks with the knives after using them. It is therefore of the greatest importance to keep the silver In a tray by itself, and to wash it in soap and water immediately after it has been used, finishing with clean water, and rubbing it dry with a wash leather. When treated In this way plate requires very little powder of any kind to renew its polish, and it is only for ill-used and scratched silver that the various and much-vaunted plate-powders are required. All those which are composed of chalk in any shape, or ammonia, are innocent, whilst the presence of mercury. as indicated by the slight tinge of a slate blue colour in the powder, is exceedingly prejudicial. Servants are very fond of these mercurial preparations, because they act quickly, and give a good polish after cleaning ; but this soon tarnishes, because a certain portion of the amalgam made with the silver and mercury is left on the surface of the former, and the consequence Is that it tarnishes by oxidation on exposure to the air. Gas and sulphurous coals are veгу apt to blacken silver, the former by not being completely purified from sulphuretted hydrogen, and the latter from causing its presence in large volume; and I have known silver made quite black in a single night by the burning of coals containing sulphur in the room. To remove this deep stain, or that caused by long exposure to the air, requires something more than mere chalk, and the jewellers use an oxide of iron called rouge, which is an innocent preparation, being prepared by the precipitation of sulphate of Iron by carbonate of potash, and then exposing the dried powder to a high heat. The leathers which are employed are the wash leathers of the shops, and they should be washed occasionally when they become greasy and blackened with the oxide. When the plate is only slightly soiled, many good managers put it into a large saucepan of soft water, cold, with a lump of whiting and some shavings of yellow soap to make a good lather. They then boil It half an hour, rinse it in cold water, rub with a soft cloth, and afterwards with a plate-leather. This prevents the rubbing off the dead frost-work from the chasing, in removing tarnished spots. The following powders are used by various parties, and any of them will serve the purpose, elbow- grease being needed for all, and indeed, being the great and important point in all plate-cleaning.
PLATE POWDER-No. 1–Take one pound of the best whiting, or of prepared chalk, and rub it to a fine powder. Then sift it- mix together four ounces of sprits of turpentine, two ounces of spirits of wine, one ounce of spirits of camphor, and half an ounce of spirits of hartshorn. Then add the whiting gradually- to the liquid, stirring in a little at a time, and mixing the whole thoroughly till it is of the consistence of cream : put it Into a very close vessel (a large bottle or a white jar), and cork it tightly, tying down a leather over the cork. To use the mixture, first stir it up, then pour out a sufficient portion into a bowl or pan, and with a soft clean sponge cover the silver with it so as to give it a coat like whitewash. Set the silver aside for ten minutes, or more, till the paste has dried into a powder, then brush it off, and polish first with a buckskin, then with a silk handkerchief. It will be found very convenient to keep this mixture always in the house. It makes the plate look beautiful and new.
PLATE POWDER- No. 2.–The most common method of cleaning silver is with pulverized whiting mixed with whisky; or, with spirits of wine, which is better. The whiting must be made as fine as possible ; for if there are any coarse or rough particles among it, they will scratch the silver. You may powder it very finely, either by pounding it in a mortar, or by tying it up in a clean rag, laying it down on the hearth, and beating it with a hammer; after which, spread it thinly over a large plate, and place it before the fire to dry. Then sift it through a piece of coarse book-muslin or leno. Mix the whiting into a paste or cream, with whisky or spirits of wine, or with water if the expense of the two first is objected to; dip a flannel or sponge into It, and coat the silver all over with the mixture; after which, lay all the articles in the sun to dry ; or place them on an old japanned waiter before the fire, but not very near it. The paste must become so dry on the articles, that you may dust it off them like flour, with a soft cloth. Afterwards, with the smallest brush, rub between the prongs of the forks, and go over all the minute or delicate parts of the silver. The plain or un-ornamented parts are best rubbed with flannel, as they show the most trifling scraches. Next, polish with a buckskin or a chamois-leather; and finish with a soft silk handkerchief before you begin to clean your plate, wash it in boiling water, that no grease or syrup may remain on it.
To Clean German Silver.–Forks of this composition were at one time much in use ; and when very good it has a resemblance to genuine silver, and is equally durable. It is by no means costly, and when properly taken care of and kept bright it looks very well. After using it should be put immediately into hot water and washed well, and wiped dry with a soft cloth. Once a week let it be washed in soap suds then cleaned with Plate Powder No.2, which afterwards should be brushed off. Should this metal become discoloured or spotted by vinegar or other acids, wash it first, then clean it with sweet oil and powdered rotten stone. If the spoons or forks have become very much soiled and discoloured, you may make a mixture of a quarter of a pint of vinegar with half an ounce each of Alum and Cream of Tartar; add this to a pint of boiling water, dip the plate into the mixture and rub it dry.
Trev.
.