Boil an ounce of prepared hartshorn-powder in a quart of water. While on the fire, put as much plate into it as the vessel will hold; let it boil a little time, then take it out, drain it over the saucepan, dry it before the fire, and rub it bright with leather. Then put more into the pan in the same manner until it is all boiled. Put clean linen rags into the pan to soak up the remainder, and when dry, they will give a beautiful polish to the plate merely by rubbing it with them. They are likewise admirable for cleaning brass locks, and the finger-plates of doors.—This method will only suit small articles of plate.
TO CLEAN PLATED ARTICLES.
Take an ounce of killed quicksilver, which you may buy at the chemist’s, and half a pound of the best whiting sifted; mix them with spirits of wine when used. Hartshorn-powder may be used instead of whiting; but whiting is quite as good, when dried and pounded.
TO GIVE SILVER PLATE A LUSTRE.
Dissolve alum in strong ley, skim it carefully, mix it with soap and wash your silver utensils with it, using a linen rag.
TO TAKE STAINS OUT OF SILVER PLATE.
Steep the plate in soap leys for the space of four hours; then cover it over with whiting wet with vinegar, so that it may stick thick upon it, and dry it by a fire; after which, rub off the whiting, and pass it over with dry bran, and the spots will not only disappear, but the plate will look exceedingly bright.
TO MAKE PLATE LOOK LIKE NEW.
Take of unslaked lime and alum, a pound each, of aqua vitæ and vinegar, each a pint, and of beer grounds, two quarts; boil the plate in these, and they will set a beautiful gloss upon it.
TO TAKE FRUIT SPOTS OUT OF CLOTH.