How to Clean & Polish Pewter & Aluminum Serving Pieces
Pewter and aluminum serving pieces have become popular gifts, and many people have vintage collectible pewter and aluminum pieces. Owners use these pieces on special occasions, but many worry that everyday use will stain or damage them.
Things You Will Need
- Mild dish soap
- Warm water
- Soft cloth
- Rubbing alcohol
- Cotton swab
- Steel wool
- Soap pads
- Machine oil
- Flour
- Vinegar
- Salt
- Silver polish
- Cream of tartar
- Lemon
- Apple peel
With the right cleaning and care, your pewter and aluminum serving pieces can last for years and look great.
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Wash your serving pieces by hand as soon as possible after you use them. Use warm water and mild dish soap.
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Buff the pieces with a soft cloth. Aluminum dulls quickly and pewter shouldn't be over polished or buffed because it's not meant to be shiny.
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Dip a Q-tip in rubbing alcohol and wipe away any smears that are still on the pewter after you buff your pieces.
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Shine the surface of the aluminum with a steel wool pad, or a soapy scouring pad like Brillo or SOS. To remove tarnish on the pewter, dip an ultra-fine steel wool pad in machine oil and rub the tarnished surface.
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Apply a paste of flour, vinegar, and salt to tarnished pieces. Let it set for an hour, then rinse the serving pieces in warm water.
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Fill a discolored aluminum serving piece with a quart of water. Add some lemon, apple peel, or 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar. Bring it to a boil, then rinse and dry the piece.
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Use silver polish to keep pewter and aluminum serving pieces looking like new.
Check out this related video from Homesteady on Youtube.
Writer Bio
Cathryn Whitehead graduated from the University of Michigan in 1987. She has published numerous articles for various websites. Her poems have been published in several anthologies and on Poetry.com. Whitehead has done extensive research on health conditions and has a background in education, household management, music and child development.
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