Or wash them in water in which potatoes have been boiled.
To Remove Medicine Stains.—Iodine and other ingredients in certain medi cines may stain silver spoons. To re move such stains, rub them with a piece of cloth dipped in dilute sul phuric acid-1 part of acid to 10 parts of water. Apply the acid with a swab made by winding a bit of linen about the end of a stick, as it will injure the skin. Wash immediately after wards with soap and water.
Silver fittings of inkstands and other silver articles often become discolored with ink. The most effective cleanser is a paste made by moistening chloride of lime with water. Rub it on the stains until they disappear. After wards wash with soap and water con taining a little ammonia and polish.
Silver Cleansers. — For cleaning jewelry manufacturing and retail jewelers use various mixtures which are safe and reliable. If these can be obtained they are often the most sat isfactory cleansers of any.
Or mix 2 ounces of jeweler's rouge with 6 ounces of prepared chalk.
Or mix 4 ounces of prepared chalk or whiting, / ounce of gum camphor, ounce of alcohol, and 2 ounces of benzine. Allow this to dry on the sil ver before polishing.
Or mix 4 ounces of prepared chalk or whiting, 1 ounce of turpentine, 1 ounce of alcohol, and 2 drams of spir its of camphor.
To Clean Britannia Ware. — First apply sweet oil with a sponge or piece of flannel. Wash in suds and water, and polish the same as silver.
Or dissolve 4 ounces of yellow soap in 4 ounces of sweet oil, and dilute to a thick cream with alcohol. Apply with a soft sponge and polish with chamois.
To Clean China.—Cups and saucers and other articles of fine china often take on a yellow discoloration. To re move this moisten a soft cloth in water and dip into dry salt or fine coal or 'wood ashes, or a mixture of fuller's earth and baking soda, and rub off the stain with it. Afterwards wash with soap and water.
To Clean Candlesticks. — To clean silver candlesticks, dip them in boiling water to remove grease, and after wards clean and polish them like other silver articles. Do not attempt to scratch off the grease or wax with a knife or melt it off with dry heat, especially if they are plated, as plated ware is often based on a composition which will run if heated.
To Clean Door Plates.—Silver door plates may be cleaned with aqua am monia applied with a stiff brush. This is very effective for cleaning silver, but should not be used too freely upon finer silver articles, as it tends to deaden their luster.
To Clean Silver Seals.—To restore monogram and initial seals of steel or silver to usefulness after they have be gun to stick to the wax, first remove as much as possible of the dried wax from the lines of the design. Then soak the seal in u moderately strong solution of oxalic acid, using a stiff brush to get at the fine lines, and re move the loosened wax which formerly adhered. When the seal is thoroughly cleaned and bright, rub well with a cloth dampened with sweet oil, to tralize further action of the acid and prevent the wax from again sticking.