Chapter 10. DINING ROOM SPARKLE

Today's dining room may be a corner of the living room, or a little dinette. In these hurly-burly days, when practically no one has regular help, you may even serve most of the family meals at a table in the kitchen.

BUT WHEREVER YOUR MEALS ARE SERVED, in a real dining room or in an attractive corner, there are holidays and special occasions when you want your table to look its sparkling best. This means bringing out your linen, polishing the silver, and using your best china and glassware. These are your heirloom things, some probably irreplaceable. If you take good care of them you can pass them on to your children. And the care you give your best things can be applied in the same, or less, degree to your everyday tableware according to your inclination. It isn't really difficult. First, let's have a look at your best china.

LOVELY CHINA does not seem very important when we are very young. Sad to say, we are likely to develop a taste for it only after we have carelessly run through the supply we had when we were first married. It is when we try to replace the broken Minton and Haviland that we realize how expensive good china is and what a treasure we have squandered.

A HIGH SHELF IS THE BEST PLACE for your very best china during the time when children are small-but, oh, how energetic. Use it only on special occasions and return it promptly to its safe retreat. Stack it carefully, or store the plates on one of the plastic-covered racks made for this purpose. In stacking plates remember that the footing is often unglazed and can scratch the surface of the plate underneath if it is carelessly placed. A precaution against this is to slip tissue papers in between. Plastic covers are made especially to protect stacked plates from dust. If you use them you won't have to wash your dishes when you take them down for a dinner party. Chips are safest when they are hung on properly spaced hooks. Wrapping the spouts of delicate teapots with soft paper will safeguard them against chipping. So much for storage.

THE PROPER CARE OF CHINA is not complicated but there are certain details worth remembering. First, never let foods stand very long on china. Wash it immediately after use; if you simply can't, at least rinse it. Salty foods, salads and gravies have an injurious effect on china if they are allowed to remain on it. China used for eggs, gravies, and sauces containing flour, should be rinsed promptly with cold water. If these foods dry on a plate, or if hot water is run over them, they harden and are very difficult to remove.

FOR WASHING CHINA use hot water and a mild detergent or soap. Detergents are better because they are equally effective in hard or soft water, rinse easily, and do not leave a film. Strong detergents and soaps might harm some china. The manufacturers of some of England's finest chinaware say not to use either soap or detergent if a hot rinse will do the job. Long soaking may also be bad for china. It may soften the ingredients used in decoration, especially gold and platinum trim. Ammonia should be avoided for the same reason. Metallic and plastic sponges, steel wool, scouring powders, and even plain hard scrubbing also cause damage. A soft brush however can be very useful, especially on china that has a raised pattern. Tea and coffee stains on cups and saucers can be removed easily and safely by wiping them with a soft damp cloth or sponge that has been dipped into baking soda.

IN RINSING CHINA use hot, but not boiling, water. Boiling water often causes crazing; that is, the glaze may become meshed with a network of fine cracks. Overheating plates and dishes can accomplish the same disfiguration. Very hot water on cold china, or cold water on hot, is likely to crack it. Sometimes water that is too hot causes colors to fade.

AND NOW A WORD ABOUT YOUR DISH PAN. Aluminum pans are not good for washing china because aluminum marks it with fine pencil-like lines which are difficult to remove. Plastic dish pans are very good because they are resilient and dishes are less likely to be chipped. A plastic mat in your sink is a precaution against chipping if you do your dishes there. Let your china, well rinsed with hot water, dry itself in a rack. Dishes washed with detergents do not need to be hand dried.

FINE GLASSWARE is a treasure too. Hours of work go into its design and decoration and often it is made of crystal glass, a very special kind that is clearer and heavier than ordinary glass. Crystal glass is always used for cut glass and fine ornamental pieces.

THE CARE OF GLASSWARE, whether it comes from Tiffany's or the Five and Ten is not difficult. Wash it in clean hot suds, made preferably with a detergent, rinse it with hot water, and let it drain dry upside down. Detergents do not leave a film on glass as soap does.

IN WASHING STEMMED GLASSWARE it is best to lift each piece separately by the stem, rather than by the cup or base; wash and rinse it, then take up the next. Stemmed glasses break very easily and cannot be tumbled in the dishpan or sink with other tableware. If your table glass is ornamented with gold, it is even more important to use a mild detergent. Gold trim is easily damaged by strong soaps or detergents and also by water softeners like ammonia. Such glassware should never be allowed to soak in hot water lest the gilt be softened. Glasses with engraved designs, and cut glass, are cleaned easily with a brush. Vases and cruets that develop stains or cloudiness, or an accumulation of sediment in the bottom, can usually be made sparkling clear again with ammonia. Fill the vase or cruet with water and add several teaspoons of ammonia. Let it stand for several hours or overnight, then wash it and rinse away the blemish. Do not, of course, pour hot water on cold glassware or cold on hot. You would probably crack it.

IF YOU USE AN ELECTRIC DISHWASHER for your finest china you can wash it without damage provided you select the right detergent and use it in amounts not exceeding the directions of the manufacturer. The water should not be hotter than 160^o F.

DETERGENTS FOR DISHWASHERS. The information which follows is from the manager of the research division of a company that makes some of the finest china and earthenware being produced in the United States. The findings were based on tests of the company's own products, and competitive wares. We quote:
"There are a number of detergents on the market which are not suitable. They will remove colors and gilt decoration and eventually even the glaze itself. Their makers probably tested them for efficiency in soil removal but neglected to determine the effect they might have on any ceramic ware.

"The ones that, at present, we find to be satisfactory are Cascade, Calgonite (Gold Box), and Chat in about that order. These should not be used at stronger concentrations than recommended on the box. To recommend detergents is rather a risky business as the manufacturer may retain his label and box but change the contents without notice.

"Along with the chemical effects from too-harsh detergents, we have found that dishwashers with metal baskets will remove gold and platinum bands by mechanical abrasion. The newer plastic-coated baskets are much better. Detergents for hand washing also show significant differences. We have found Liquid Lux and Joy to be the best for good cleaning action and minimum effect on colors and gilt decorations."

TO REMOVE THE CHALKY DEPOSIT which sometimes builds up on china and glassware in hard water areas fill your dishwasher with all the glasses and dinnerware that have hard water deposits. Do not put silverware or pans in the machine. Place a cup filled with Clorox or Purex upright in the bottom rack of the dishwasher. Turn on the machine and operate it for five minutes. Stop the machine, empty the cup-now full of water-fill the cup with vinegar and continue the washing cycle. Repeat with another vinegar cycle and then finish with a complete rinsing cycle. The bleach loosens the hard water deposit and the vinegar removes it.

USE YOUR SILVERWARE. We have suggested that you cherish your finest china while your children are small and bungling, but the advice for your silver is to use it every day. Jewelers say that constant use keeps it in good condition and gives the finish the soft patina so admired in antique pieces. Regular washing in hot suds and a rub when you dry it keeps it in quite good condition. Occasionally it will need special polishing.

SILVER HAS ITS ECCENTRICITIES. If you value it- and what woman does not-there are a few facts you should know about it in order to avoid trouble. Acids, which brighten copper, brass, and aluminum, are very bad for silver. They not only turn it black but etch into the metal if they remain in contact very long. Ammonia, an alkali, brightens it. Household gas in the air, even in small amounts, causes silver to tarnish quickly. So does salt in the air, near the sea. Sulfur is inimical to silver and rubber a deadly enemy.

TO AVOID TROUBLE from sulfur, salts, and acids, never let foods containing them remain long in contact with your silver. Such foods include table salt, eggs, olives, salad dressings, vinegar, and fruit juices. Wash your silver promptly after use, in hot suds made with soap or a detergent. Rinse it in hot water and wipe it dry. Never let food stand in silver dishes. Watch your flower and fruit bowls, too. Decaying fruits, flowers, and leaves generate acids that make ugly little pit marks. If your silver seems to tarnish too quickly you might check your gas installations for leaks.

KEEP RUBBER AWAY FROM SILVER. A story will illustrate this point. Not long ago a young reserve officer, who had just been married, was called into service. Against better days he and his bride stored their wedding silver. They made sure that each piece was clean and shining, and wrapped it carefully in tissue paper. So far, so good. Clean silver wrapped in paper will stay bright for a long time because air is excluded. But to keep the tissue snug, they used rubber bands. Months passed and the officer completed his service and came home. When the silver was unpacked it was found to be marked with heavy black lines that would not be polished away. A jeweler was consulted but the damage was so severe that nothing could be done. The silver had been ruined because its owners, though careful, did not know that rubber corrodes silver in a matter of weeks.

CORROSION FROM RUBBER begins within a few days of contact and can occur even when the silver is well wrapped. The time required for the destructive action to take place depends upon the thickness of the paper or cloth and upon atmospheric conditions. Damp salt air accelerates the action and so does heat. Under normal conditions the silver will corrode within three or four weeks. By corrosion, to make matters perfectly clear, it is meant that the silver beneath the rubber is eaten away by microscopic particles emanating from the rubber and passing through the covering to the metal beneath. Once silver is corroded it is difficult or impossible to restore it, especially if the lines of corrosion have crossed an etched or stamped pattern.

FOR BEST RESULTS IN POLISHING SILVER, wash it first in hot water with a detergent or soap. Then use a good silver polish, based on whiting or jeweler's rouge, or use either of these two substances with ammonia or denatured alcohol. Avoid polishes that contain harsh abrasives such as silica. The electrolytic method, which involves aluminum and zinc, plus baking soda, or salt and soda, is harmless but jewelers frown upon it. It removes the oxidation completely, leaving the design flat and the finish dead. Also not recommended by silver authorities are the "dip and shine" polishes.

These are not only expensive but require great care and caution in use. They remove the oxidation from designs and have a tendency to "burn" the finish. This does not mean that these polishes eat into the silver, but that they can cause a discoloration that is not attractive.

IF YOU USE A COMMERCIAL POLISH, or one of the treated silver-polishing cloths, read the directions and follow them carefully. Polishes made with whiting will be white in color, while those containing jeweler's rouge will be pink.

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR OWN POLISH get a fine grade of gilder's whiting at a good paint store-it is very inexpensive-and apply it with a damp cloth, soft brush, or sponge moistened with ammonia. Go over the silver carefully, in straight even strokes, and wipe off the tarnish. Let the powder dry on the silver, then polish it with a soft flannel cloth or piece of chamois leather. This is how England's famous silver is cleaned, in a matter of minutes, however tarnished it may be. If you want a brighter polish, use alcohol with your whiting instead of ammonia. Last of all, wash the silver to remove every trace of polish, rinse it in hot water, and wipe it dry. Polish left on silver causes it to retarnish more rapidly.

SILVER PIECES WITH GOLD LININGS should never be polished inside. The lining is a mere wash and gold is a soft metal. It can be removed by just plain rubbing. New linings, of course, can be put in by your jeweler.

THE CARE OF SILVER PLATE is the same as for sterling or solid silver, but don't rub it too hard or too often, or it will have to be replated. Actually, silver does not need to be polished vigorously each time you remove tarnish. Just wipe the tarnish, wash the piece carefully, and it will be lovely when you wipe it dry.

LACQUER OR PLASTIC FINISHES are sometimes applied to ornamental silver pieces so that they will not require cleaning or polishing. Lacquered pieces need only dusting or an occasional washing in mild lukewarm suds. Lacquering silver is a job best done by a jeweler.

IF POLISHING SILVER IS A CHORE, clean and polish the little-used pieces, wash them carefully, wrap them in tissue paper or special cloth from your jewelry store, and put them away until needed. They will remain bright because air is excluded. A camphor mothball or two in your silver chest or drawer helps keep tarnish away too.

TABLE LINENS. Easy-care table mats of plastics and bamboo and fresh paper napkins have edged linen off most family dinner tables, but it still presides on important occasions. Although adapted to weaves of exquisite fineness, linen is a very tough durable fabric that lasts for years. It launders easily to a snowy whiteness and has a stiffness all its own. It accepts dyes graciously and may be bought in a lovely array of colors. There is nothing complicated about its care.

LAUNDERING. White table linens should be soaked for about twenty minutes in plain cool to lukewarm water before being laundered. Then wash all but the most delicate pieces in hot water, using an all-purpose laundry soap or heavy duty detergent. In machine washing give them eight to twenty minutes, depending upon the amount of soil.

FOR BADLY STAINED CLOTHS AND NAPKINS use household bleach in the wash water (read the label for the proper amount) then rinse thoroughly. Most stains are removed by bleaching, but there are a few stains that should be treated before linen is put to soak: candlewax drippings, wine, fruit, tea, and coffee. Instructions are given in the chapter on stain removal. Lipstick and grease stains usually wash out, but it is a good idea to pretreat them with a liquid detergent or soap. This pretreatment is especially good for grease stains on colored linens, notably dark-colored ones that tend to hide grease spots until the material is ironed.

BLUING CAN BE USED FOR WHITE LINENS, if desired, but it is not necessary because, properly laundered, they emerge dazzling white.

STARCHING IS NOT NECESSARY unless an unusual amount of stiffening is desired. Women who are really fussy about the appearance of their table linens wash them separately from cottons. This is because damasks, especially, tend to pick up cotton lint that makes them look fuzzy.

FOR COLORED AND DELICATE WHITE LINENS use warm water and a mild soap or detergent. Dry white linens in the sun, if possible, and colored ones in the shade. Hang them neatly folded over the line with their hems smoothed straight for easier ironing later-never pin them by a corner.

Drying Linens / Ironing Cottons

IF LINENS ARE AUTOMATICALLY DRIED the temperature should not be too hot. Make it room temperature if you can.

TO IRON LINENS successfully, they must be thoroughly and uniformly damp-much damper than cottons, otherwise they will not be smooth and glossy when they are finished. All but the thinnest and sheerest linens require quite a hot iron (linen setting) and they should be ironed until they are completely dry. If you are truly fastidious about its appearance, you will cover your ironing board with an old linen cloth to avoid dimming the sheen of your linens with lint picked up from a cotton cover. A dry iron, rather than a steam iron, is recommended for ironing linen.

TABLECLOTHS AND NAPKINS should be ironed on both sides. To iron a tablecloth fold it wrong side out, lengthwise. Iron it with the thread of the material. Refold the cloth right side out and iron it again, pressing in the center crease. Fold it lengthwise a second time, then crosswise several times without pressing the folds. One sharp crease down the center is all you want. Iron napkins first on the wrong side, beginning with the corners and getting them properly right-angled to avoid distorting the weave, then iron them on the right side. Fold large dinner napkins in thirds and small ones in squares with the edges even.

OBLONG DOILIES AND TABLE RUNNERS should be ironed with the weave, in one direction only, so that they will lie flat. Again, start with straight corners. If linen is embroidered, iron it face down on a well padded board to raise the design.

IRON ROUND DOILIES from center to edge with the weave of the material.

CROCHETED AND HEAVY LACE DOILIES should be spread fiat and coaxed into shape with your fingers, on a kitchen or laundry table. They will not need ironing.

STORAGE. Store table runners folded lightly or wrapped around a cardboard tube. Place small doilies flat in a drawer, taking care not to crease them.

IRONING TECHNIQUES FOR COTTONS are the same as for linens, but the iron must of course be the proper temperature. If you have an assortment of materials to iron begin with the ones that need the least heat (synthetics) and finish with the heavy linens which require the most.

These notes on the proper treatment of china, silver, glassware and the table linens may seem tedious, but is it really more difficult to care for them properly than to follow a haphazard method? Properly handled, these fine accessories will grace your table for years, bringing pleasure to your family and your friends.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here...