How to clean your silver, safely.

I know what you're all thinking, the lady's launched a brand spanking new website and she chooses to write about cutlery cleaning as her second post. Yep, even I am wondering why I'd do that. But let's not underestimate the importance of this post, because after all, I believe that what you put in your mouth each day (food or otherwise) is the most important decision you will make in your day, for your health, the environment, and for our world. And this includes toxic cutlery which has been soaking in a chemical bath before you scoop up your peas and pop them into your mouth.

Here's a bet most of you are familiar with a particular metal polish, Silvo. Well I just took it upon myself to read up on it's ingredients and the effects of those on human consumption. I learnt in my readings that Silvo can have severe, perhaps fatal effects on human health. Less acute short term effects include eye irritation, headaches, skin and respiratory tract irritation. And as for the more acute long effects? It's been proven to be carcinogenic, can cause damage to the nervous system, birth defects, lung scaring...I don't think I need to say any more, except if you're using it you really should bin it and read on, because I have a brilliant and very simple solution.

My solution requires water and bicarb soda and guess what? Neither of those are at all harmful to human health or the environment. In fact the result is a cleaning solution that is not only more effective but less abrasive on your precious silver and metals. So let's go! 

You'll need:
1 sheet of tin foil
1 rectangular baking tray
1 litre boiling water
1 heaped tablespoon bicarbonate of soda
Tea towel or silver polishing cloth

Line a baking tray or rectangular dish with tin foil, as per picture below. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in 1 litre of boiling water. Pour this mixture over your cutlery and allow to soak for approximately 5 minutes. Tip the dirty water down the drain and use a tea towel or silver cloth and rub your cutlery sparkly clean.

And voila! Sparkling silver, ready for your next toxic free dinner party with friends.