Verdigris on Salt Cellar

New Zealand Listener, Volume 14, Issue 344, 25 January 1946, Page 22

Verdigris on Salt Cellar

Dear Aunt Daisy, I’m wondering if you could tell me how to remove verdigris from the inside of a "silver" salt-cellar? I’ve tried several cleaners, but they have had no effect and what is more, the cellar is rather an awkward shape, and it wouldn’t be possible to clean in the narrow part at the bottom with anything other than a liquid, which would, perhaps, dissolve

the verdigris. I would be very grateful if you could suggest something to do the job.-Thanking you, Sydenham, Christchurch. If you can get any cream of tartar, just put a teaspoonful into sufficient cold water to fill up the salt cellar, and leave it standing for 24 hours. Then wash in hot soapy water, using a child’s tiny toothbrush to get inside, If no cream of tartar, dip the little brush into vinegar, and then into salt, and brush as well as you can inside, washing afterwards as before. It may take quite a lot of patience, and more than one day’s treatment; and may nof¢ come off at all, because the salt may have worn away the silver plating. Most silver salt-cellars used to be fitted with a removable glass container, because salt always blackens the plating. Even with silver-mounted crystal salt-cellars, the silver top does &et tarnished, Another idea might be to dip the wee toothbrush into a thickish paste made of methylated spirits and plate powder, and rub well with that; or make this a thin paste, and leave it standing inside the salt-cellar for some hours.