Title:Cleaning Household Utensils & Metals
Author: Marie S. Hammer
Date: 1992


Cleaning Household Utensils & Metals
Marie S. Hammer

CLEANING AND STERILIZING DISHES AND COOKING UTENSILS 

     Before using any dishes, pots, pans or cooking utensils that
were in contact with flood water, wash and sterilize them. 

 1.  Any piece of equipment that can be taken apart should be
     cleaned in pieces.  Remove plastic and wooden handles from
     frying pans and saucepans.  Clean parts separately. 

 2.  Wash dishes, pots, pans and utensils in hot, sudsy water. 
     Use a brush, if necessary, to remove dirt. 

 3.  After sudsing and brushing, rinse in clear water.  Place
     dishes in a wire basket or other container and dip them in a
     sanitizing solution.  Use a solution recommended by local
     health authorities or use 1 1/2 tablespoons chlorine bleach
     to a gallon of water. 

 4.  Air-dry dishes.  Do not dry them with a dish towel.  If
     cupboards and food preparation surfaces were in contact with
     flood water, clean and rinse them with a chlorine bleach
     solution before storing dishes and utensils. 


                    CLEANING HOUSEHOLD METALS

     Rust causes most damage to flooded household metals,
especially iron.  Use the following treatment to control rusting.


Iron Pots, pans and utensils:

 1.  Wash with soap and water, using a stiff brush and scouring
     powder.

 2.  If rust remains, wipe with an oil saturated cloth or use a
     commercial rust remover.

 3.  Remove rust from kitchen utensils by scouring with steel
     wool. 

 4.  Wash in hot soap suds, rinse and dry thoroughly. 

 5.  Season iron pans and utensils with a generous amount of
     unsalted cooking oil.  Heat in a 250 degree F oven for two
     or three hours.  This will permit oil to soak into pores of
     metal.  During the heating process apply more oil as needed. 
     When seasoning is completed wipe off the excess oil.


Hardware

 1.  Coat iron hardware with petrolatum or machine oil to prevent
     further rusting.

 2.  Use stove polish on stove or similar ironwork.




Locks and Hinges 

     Locks and hinges, especially those made of iron, should be
taken apart, wiped with kerosene and oiled.  Follow the same
procedure as for iron hardware. 

     If it isn't possible to remove locks or hinges, squirt a
little machine oil into the bolt opening or keyhole.  Work the
knobs to distribute the oil.  This will help prevent rusting of
the springs and metal casing.  (Do not use too much oil as it may
drip on the woodwork, making painting difficult.) 

Stainless Steel, Nickel-Copper Alloy, Nickel or Chrome-Plated Metals

 1.  Wash thoroughly and polish with a fine-powdered cleanser.

 2.  If furniture plating or hardware is broken so that base
     metal is exposed and rusted, wipe with kerosene and then
     wash and dry the surface.  Wax to prevent further rusting. 

Aluminum Pans and Utensils 

 1.  Wash thoroughly with hot sudsy water.  Scour any unpolished
     surfaces, such as the insides of pans, with steel wool pads
     with soap.  Rub in one direction only. 

 2.  Polish plated aluminum surfaces with a fine cleansing powder
     or silver polish.  Do not scour.

 3.  Sterilize in a chlorine solution. 

 4.  To remove dark stains from aluminum pans caused by alkaline
     foods, fill pan with water.  Add 1 Tablespoon vinegar or 2
     teaspoons cream of tartar for each quart of water.  Boil for
     10 to 15 minutes, scour with steel wool pad with soap, rinse
     and dry. 

Copper and Brass

 1.  Polish with a special polish or rub with cloth saturated
     with vinegar or with a piece of salted lemon.

 2.  Always wash copper thoroughly with soap suds after using
     acids or commercial polishes or they will retarnish rapidly.
     

 3.  Wash lacquered ornamental copper in warm sudsy water.  Rinse
     with warm water and wipe dry.  Do not polish.  Do not soak. 

Pewter

 1.  Wash thoroughly with hot sudsy water, rinse and dry.  Use a
     soft toothbrush to get into crevices.

 2.  Rub on silver polish (paste or liquid, not the dip type)
     with a soft cloth.  Use a soft toothbrush to get into
     crevices. 

 3.  Rinse in hot soap suds and dry. 

 4.  Check for small holes, cracked joints and dents.  If the
     pewter needs mending and is a prized piece, let a
     professional fix it. 

 5.  Small holes can be mended by cleaning the metal inside the
     pewter object with steel wool, then fill with pewter epoxy
     mender.  Follow instructions on the label carefully. 

 6.  Felt or other protection materials that have separated from
     household decorative accessories such as bookends, ashtrays
     and candle holders should be replaced.  Felt or protective
     materials can be purchased in fabric stores, cut to match
     those damaged and glued in place with rubber cement. 
.