Stainless steel is essentially iron which has been infused with 10% or more chromium. It is good at resisting corrosion and rust through normal wear and tear but occasionally it will dull.

Stainless steel is well known for its durability and ability to stand up perfectly to everyday use. Chromium forms a hard oxide coating on the surface of flatware that makes it shine while protecting the steel on the inside. Over time and continued use along with use of dishwashing detergents this protective coating begins to wear off. Once the shell wears down the flatware will begin to lose its luster. This naturally happens to all flatware, though it should not happen for some time dependent upon the quality of the silver.

If your flatware is still relatively new and in good shape, then there are a number of ways to clean it and restore some of its original shine. One method used to remove streaking is to take a soft dish towel and rub olive oil on the flatware; this should help remove streaks. You can also polish and shine stainless steel flatware by using vinegar and a soft cloth; this will help to remove heat stains from the flatware. If you dont have vinegar, club soda can be used.

Before placing your Towle stainless steel flatware in the dishwasher try to rinse off salty or acidic foods. Sometimes people put utensils in a dishwasher and wait upwards of 3 days to run the dishwasher. This extended time will dull your stainless steel flatware quicker than daily washing. An important note is that detergents are harsh chemicals used to clean off stubborn foods but they can also damage your flatware if they come in contact with flatware which is wet; usually dark spots are the result.

If you want to take the time to properly care for your stainless steel flatware then washing by hand is the way to go. Simply clean the items with warm water and a gentle detergent and immediately dry the flatware by hand. Letting them drip dry will cause spotting and streaking. If a haze or blur occurs over time, a gentle silver polish can sometimes be used to remove this.

The foods that are most corrosive to stainless steel flatware are those that are salty or acidic. These foods should be rinsed from the flatware as soon as possible. Never use steel wool or abrasives on the stainless steel since these will scratch the surface and cause bigger problems.

Cleaning stainless steel flatware that has become dull

Materials needed:
Bowls for mixing ingredients and soaking
Rubber gloves
Non gel toothpaste
Lint-free soft cloths
Paper towels
Water Calgon water softener 1/4 cup measure
Bleach Ammonia
Silver polish
Stainless steel cleaner: 1/4 cup chlorine bleach, 1/4 cup Calgon water softener, 1 gallon very hot water

Note: Only use this on stainless steel, not real silver!

Combine cup Calgon water softener, 1 gallon hot water and cup bleach. Mix ingredients together in the kitchen sink or any non-aluminum container. Place the stainless steel pieces in the solution, making sure they are completely immersed. Soak the pieces for thirty minutes and then wash them as you usually do, either in the dishwasher or by hand. To remove tough spots, rub some non-gel toothpaste or a mixture of one part ammonia and one part silver polish, using a soft cloth. After the application, rinse and dry the flatware.

Tip: Do this only when the stainless really needs it, when it has that blue tint, probably every couple of months.

Tags : Cooking
Categories : Cooking