Ornamental furniture, inlaid with brass or buhl, should not be placed very near the fire, as the metal when it becomes warm expands, and, being then too large for the space in which it was laid, starts from the wood.
"German silver" will not rust; but it does not contain a particle of silver, it being only white copper. If left in vinegar, or any acid mixture, it will become coated with verdigris. Salt should never be left in silver cellars, else the metal will be much injured.
86. To clean Glasses.—Glasses should be first washed in warm clean soap-suds, and rinsed in fresh cold water; wipe off the wet with one cloth, and finish them with another.
87. Cleaning Decanters.—Those encrusted with dregs of port wine, can be readily freed from stain by washing them with the refuse of the teapot, leaves and all. Dip the decanter into a vessel containing warm water, to prevent the hot tea-leaves from cracking the glass, then empty the teapot into the decanter, and shake it well. The tannin of the tea has a chemical affinity for the crust on the glass.
88. To clean Decanters.—Put into them broken egg-shells, pieces of coarse brown or blotting paper, with pearlash, and nearly fill them with lukewarm water; shake them well for a few minutes, or, if very dirty, leave them for some hours, when rinse the decanters with cold water. The settlement of the crust of wine in decanters, may be best prevented by rinsing at night, with cold water, all the decanters used during the day. To clean the outer work of decanters, rub it with a damp sponge dipped in whiting; then brush it well, rinse the vessel in cold water, drain, and finish with a fine dry cloth.
89. To remove Crust from Glass.—It often happens that glass vessels used for flowers and other purposes, receive an unsightly crust hard to be removed by scouring. The best method is to wash it with a little diluted spirit of salts, which will soon loosen it.