Today's post is for all the house cleaning challenged folks out there!!!
I am leaving on Saturday for Florida.....
(yay, yay, yay!!!)
so I am running around doing some last minute stuff.....
By last minute, I mean things I've been meaning to get to in the last decade.....
On numerous occasions, I have mentioned how all my silver is now a dark grey.....
Sooooooo
as last week I was a little under the weather....
(I know!!!! I know!!!!!, I still was able to write my blog!!!!!!)
(I am a TROUPER!!!!!)
(where was I?????.....oh yeah!!!)
Soooooo.....
I decided, as I was
really, really, really
BORED!!!!
That I would tackle polishing .....gulp.....some of my silver!!!
Sooooo.....
I tip toed into my bathroom, so as not to scare my stuff....
I figured that the silver, having not had a cleaning in so long, would get worried about changing its look.
Sort of like getting a new hair cut.
Here's the before....
It's fuzzy 'cuz I blew up a detail of an older shot.
At least in this one, the faucet's shiny, in the new shot I was too lazy to clean it.
Baby steps people, baby steps.....
Here's how it looks now.....
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Who knew that silver isn't dark grey!!!!!!
I used Wright's Silver Cream. If anyone knows of a better cleaner, please let me know, although this stuff was pretty amazing.
It's been so long since I've polished silver, that I think they've improved the formulas for the cleaners.
But I'm just guessing about that.
So, now......
I am going to go piece by piece and discuss what's what.....
This way you can see how I didn't do that great a job.
Polishing is
really boring!!!!!
First up....
My tooth brush holder tray!!!!
My bidness partner, Kris, gave me this idea.
She doesn't like her toothbrushes grunging up the countertop.
I found a blue toothbrush to match my bathroom.
I am such a decorator.....
I really need to get a life.....
The blues are a better match in real life.
If you care.....
which you probably don't.....
I could go on and on.....
Oy, oy, oy. oy
Next up!!!
Is my baby cup.
My mother finally gave this to me when I was over 50 years old.
Now there are two possibilities for this.
One....
We live a really long time in my family, so 50 is the new 5.
OR
We don't tend to relinquish stuff, once it's our's.....
I mean.....
Why would someone named Kathryn,
need a cup that says Betsy?????
What is she.....sentimental or something????
I use this cup to hold my odds and ends that I use from time to time,
like a thermometer when I'm under the weather,
and eye drops, etc., etc.
just small stuff that I don't want rolling around the countertop...
Come on folks....
THIS IS EXCITING STUFF!!!!
You know, every post can't be a gem.....
Now, everyone needs a good Q-tip holder.....
And a nice place for cotton balls....
Utilitarian stuff can be pretty.....
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This flask is left over from something.
I don't know what to use it for.
Any ideas?
It balances the other stuff......
The silver plate is wearing off, someone in its past must have polished it, 'cuz it sure wasn't me.....
I never use glass in a bathroom for water 'cuz I'll just break it,
so I found this little silver cup.
I use it to take my drugs.
My dad keeps telling me to use the word "medication",
but being an old fart,
the only fun I get these days is pretending that the stuff I swallow down in the morning is illicit,
as opposed to prescribed.
I mean, there's no fun in Lipitor.....
It just means you is OLD....
And last up, is a small ice bucket I use to hold some real fake flowers!!
Now here's an
important cleaning tip.....
Larger stuff takes longer to polish than smaller stuff!!!!!!
So, in conclusion....
I made a side by side collage to show the difference.
Now it's all sparkly and pretty.
It's a lot less work to polish than it used to be, so I just may keep it up.
Have a nice Sunday,
I'm going to take my Dad grocery shopping,
'cuz I am a good daughter,
and deserve to have received my baby cup!!!
Latah, Gatah
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13 comments:
All that silver is lovely. It inspires me to start polishing.
Wait a minute. You merely adjusted the contrast, didn't you?
Lazy me, I line the sink with foil, add hot water and pour in table salt and baking soda. Then I rinse and dry! It works! (You never asked!)
Have you considered putting facial toner in the flask?
Please come over and meet Daniel!
xo
Andie
Love your effortless attention to detail.
Your flask would be a perfect mouthwash container.
My method is like "Divine Theatre", except I use a pyrex baking dish, or other non metal vessel. Line with aluminum foil, sprinkle with a generous amount of baking soda (I dont know a measurement) put silver to be cleaned in dish, and (carefully) pour boiling water over. The tarnish magically disappears before your eyes. dry and put away....easy peasy.
Every time you post, I see something I want. I have never seen that pattern of silver cup with the handle. Love it. Want one. I have lots of silver here and there. It's amazing what you can find when you look. Many people don't want to polish anymore, so I collect baby cups, usually sterling. I forgot to start looking for glass boules. Got to go check on them. Saw Miss Mustard Seed this weekend in Colorado! She was energizing. Bought more paint, so I might start painting All my wood furniture. Ann
Their methods for cleaning are easier, but I was going to suggest Hagerty's silver spray cleaner, excellent too. Wright's takes too much elbow grease and is so time consuming. Enjoy Florida!
I love the grey look!! My Mother used to just cringe when she'd come over because I left all of my silver stuff "aged". She use to threaten me that she was going to come some time when I was not at home and clean all of my silver. I just like the look of the grey!
Judy
Would you believe toothpaste works too! I've used it in a pinch but I do think it may be a bit more abrasive than designated silver polish.
Betsy, I use something called Cape Cod Silver Polish, and it comes in a can. You have these pink cloths that smell like bubble gum, and you wipe the tarnish off with those and then put the cloths back in the tin. I switched from Wrights to Cape Cod on a lark (Mama always used Wrights), and I like it. Sometimes Wrights leaves gunk in the crevices of pieces, but this other doesn't.
On really horrible pieces there is a trick you can use with aluminum foil and baking soda where you put it in the sink (or a pan), and it creates a chemical reaction that takes the tarnish off. The formula for this is online. What I read somewhere (and I'm not a chemist) is that the chemical reaction that occurs actually puts the tarnish back into the silver somehow because tarnish is actually silver or something like that.
I don't know that I would try that procedure with antique or really fine silver, particularly pieces that have greying professionally applied in the crevices (like with Francis I), but I wouldn't hesitate on other pieces that are impossible to clean otherwise.
I have cleaned my silver using the baking soda and aluminum method for years now but be advised that it will take your silver back to NEW. It removes the patina and also any of the black stuff sometimes used to highlight recessed or ornate areas on the silver. However, this method will get tarnish out of places you'd never get clean with cream polish, so great for really ornate pieces. My grandmother, mother, and aunt all have the same pattern of silver but my inherited pieces are much brighter than theirs because I use this method. My mom hates it. Hers has a mellow patina and mine looks brand new. Just FYI.
Love all of your silver Betsy! I actually use Wright's and I love it, but hey, I'm willing to try anything. I might try that spray polish that someone up there mentioned. I'm all for less elbow grease!
I save the old tothbrushes. They are great to get the Wright's out of the recessed areas. Also great for cleaning around the taps and spigots.
..oh dear...my first baby is now almost 40...i only have ten more years to keep his silver cup...i am cleaning it immediately...and enjoying it while i still have the time...you are such a good role model...
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