Clean & care for flatware properly

Important flatware care tips

Preventing flatware from becoming tarnished

Always treat your beautiful flatware with care, so that it continues to complement the aesthetics of your table arrangements. To prevent stains, deposits and discoloration in the first place, ensure that your flatware is stored correctly, in a dry and airtight place. When in storage, wrap your flatware carefully in a cotton cloth, a multilayered napkin, aluminum foil or cling film. The following tips will also help to prevent unsightly stains appearing on your flatware.

It is essential to clean flatware with clean water after cooking or using, and remove the worst of food residues before starting a dishwasher wash cycle.
To avoid tarnishing silver or stainless steel flatware, only use proper dishwashing detergent, and make sure that no dishwasher salt gets into the dishwashing cycle, as it could damage the materials used to make the flatware.

Tip:

Arrange your flatware loosely in the dishwasher, instead of bunched close together, as the water will then rinse the flatware more thoroughly.

Why is my flatware stained?

Flatware is exposed to certain risks when used daily. Although it is very resistant and robust, stains may remain, especially after contact with acidic food or salt. Discoloration from tea or coffee can also occur if you do not wash your flatware carefully. Water stains form on flatware if it is left in the dishwasher for a long time after washing, or if too much detergent has been used.

Polishing flatware

Would you like to polish your flatware so that it shines? There are various polishes to choose from for stainless steel, copper or silverware, which you can apply with a cloth. Afterwards, rinse your flatware with clean water and leave to dry thoroughly.

A summery table with a plate from the Old Luxembourg collection and Boston glasses from Villeroy & Boch.

Stainless steel and silverware

Cleaning your flatware properly

There are various ways to clean your flatware with a household product, in a manner best suited to the materials used. To make your Cromargan or stainless steel flatware shine, we recommend a starch bath. Even stubborn grease residues will dissolve in starchy water from boiling potatoes. Afterwards, clean your stainless steel flatware with clean water, and dry thoroughly.

Silver-plated flatware can also be cleaned using household products. First, carefully rinse your flatware, then fill a large bowl with salt and warm water. Wrap the silverware in aluminum foil before immersing it in the warm salty water for an hour. Afterwards, polish the silverware as usual, without any cleaning products. But be careful when drying, and use a cotton cloth for polishing. Silver is more sensitive than stainless steel, and a rough microfiber cloth may scratch silverware when polishing.

A set table with Afina plates from a sideways angle to see the floating effect of the plates.

Cleaning and caring for silverware properly

Your stylish flatware dining sets, which include collections such as the versatile Victor and the modern NewMoon, can be maintained with a little chalk or salt in the flatware drawer. This absorbs moisture, so that your silverware will look smart for a long time to come.

How do I make stainless steel flatware shiny again?

Do you prefer the timelessly elegant Piemont flatware set, or the modern Blacksmith flatware set? You can make both shine again with a little baking soda and lemon juice. Alternatively, clean them with a fine chalk polishing paste, and ethyl alcohol, and then polish them to a high shine.

Cleaning flatware with household products

How do I get flatware really clean again?

As you already know, certain household products will give new life to tarnished flatware. Depending on the materials used in their manufacture, baking soda, lemon juice and even coca-cola can be used to clean flatware.

Caution: Sensitive materials such as silverware do not tolerate acidic cleaning agents. However, you can use baking soda and lemon juice to clean stainless steel flatware. However, we recommend that you avoid using steel wool or scouring pads to apply these household products to your flatware, but rather use soft, lint-free sponges and cloths. Stubborn stains and rust, that appear as brown spots on flatware, can be dissolved with phosphoric acid or by soaking in coca-cola.

Washing flatware in the dishwasher

The high-quality flatware sets from Villeroy & Boch are, with a few exceptions, dishwasher-safe. You can put both gold-plated sets such as the MetroChic and stainless steel flatware such as the Ella collection in your dishwasher. However, we recommend that you clean dishwasher-safe silverware separately. It should not be put in the dishwasher together with stainless steel items, as the harder material could scratch the delicate silver.

Cleaning flatware with aluminum foil

Cleaning your stainless steel and silverware with aluminum foil will leave it sparkling clean. To do this, place flatware tarnished or discolored by coffee or tea, in a bowl lined with aluminum foil. Add warm water and a little salt and leave your flatware to soak for an hour. After soaking, the stains should have disappeared, leaving your flatware beautifully shiny again.

Can vinegar remove rust stains from flatware?

Vinegar is a tried and tested alternative to aluminum foil to remove rust stains. Soak your stainless steel flatware in a container of vinegar and water. Vinegar is particularly effective at cleaning rust stains, fingerprints and limescale from flatware. Wash and dry the flatware thoroughly afterwards.

Cleaning flatware

Is baking soda a common household product to clean flatware?

Baking soda is also a tried and tested household product to clean stainless steel flatware. To remove stubborn dirt or to clean your tarnished flatware, place it in a paste of water and baking soda. Mix three tablespoons of baking soda with one tablespoon of water and rub it into your flatware. Then rinse, polish and dry your flatware as described above. Cleaning flatware with baking soda is particularly effective at removing tea stains.

Cleaning flatware with citric acid

Citric acid will also make your dirty flatware shine. Rub a little citric acid or lemon juice into your flatware with a clean cotton cloth. Then rinse the flatware with clean water and allow it to dry thoroughly.

Cleaning flatware with baking powder

Baking powder can also be used to clean flatware. Mix a paste of baking powder and water and apply it to the soiled area. Then wash, polish and dry your flatware thoroughly. However, be aware that baking powder is abrasive, and should not be used on fine silverware.

A Vapiano bowl from Villeroy & Boch with salad on a wooden table, next to it a knife and fork from NewWave.

Ella flatware with gold-colored handles, arranged on a marble surface next to a white orchid.

A black table set with glasses, rectangular dinnerware and flatware from the Manufacture collection by Villeroy & Boch.

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With the right care, your flatware will shine

With the right care, your flatware will shine, and your guests will be radiant. After all, high-quality Villeroy & Boch collections underscore the quality of your food and dishes when they fit stylishly into a table arrangement. Your flatware should always be clean and well cared for and so contribute to the enjoyment of your guests.

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