Does having to clean bronze silverware make you cringe at the thought?
Do you want a safe and easy way to clean Nickel Bronze?
Don’t make the same mistake I did and make your bronze care simple, easy and headache free!
I admit when I first found my bronze silverware I didn’t even know it was bronze. I had been looking for silverware that was a good weight that would actually last, but I didn’t want to spend a fortune on them either! Growing up we had silverware that lasted for years, never got brown spots on them and always looked pretty. I was having such a hard time finding the perfect set.
One day at one of my favorite goodwill stores I spotted this intriguing wooden box that looked like it had been around for years, opened it up and there was the prettiest set of silverware with such a unique tropical bamboo design I was intrigued. They we very tarnished and all I could think of was how pretty the silverware would be once it was cleaned. As I walked around all I could think of was what great quality they were and how pretty they would be when we had friends over for a tiki party I was planning. We walked around for awhile and decided I just had to have them! On the way home I stopped for the silver cleaner I wanted to use for my new silverware. Little did I know that was a big mistake.
Once I got home I just had to try cleaning one knife so I could see how pretty it was going to be, and instead of making it beautiful the knife turned this horrible brownish black color. I had looked at the name on the silverware before “cleaning” it but since it was tarnished I couldn’t read it so good.Not one to panic, I decided to figure out why that happened.
Oh my it was not silver after all, It was Nickel Bronze. The great thing about my new find was that it is extremely durable and a great weight! Yay! While it is very nice quality it also is very porous, which meant that chemical cleaners could damage it! I needed to find a way to clean my nickel bronze silverware.
Thank goodness I only wrecked one knife and didn’t grab the whole 12 piece setting! So I went to work finding the best way to clean them. I hope you never having to go through what I did! Since the bronze nickel is porous, and I now knew that it is easy to damage using commercial polishes I wanted a better way.
Here’s what works beautifully!
Your going to need-
Rubber gloves, I used dish washing gloves
A big bowl
White Vinegar, Salt and flour
1) Get your gloves on! You will be using your hands to mix this
2) Make sure you put it in a big bowl because you will be mixing it with flour and it will be a mess
3) Combine 1 teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of white vinegar, I was able to do the whole 12 piece setting with this amount
4) Mix enough flour into it until the consistency resembles toothpaste. You don’t want it to run off the silverware. Make a nice paste that will stay on as you rub it on
5) You don’t need to be particular when putting it on. Remember to get ends and sides of bronze ware, it is thicker than regular silverware so easy to miss
6) Set aside for 30-60 minutes
7) Rinse in warm water getting all paste off as quickly as possible. Do not let it sit in water
8) Wipe dry with a cloth and using another soft cloth polish
Wulla!
It comes out gorgeous with a spectacular shimmering look to it!
Store them in a nice warm place wrapped in cloth and you will enjoy them for many many years!
Bronze metal color is super hot this year and I was thrilled to find this set. I hope you enjoy yours as much!
Leave me a comment, I would love to hear where you found your set and how your bronze ware came out!