THE ELECTROLYTIC METHOD OF CLEANING SILVER. 11 
good abrasive polish only as often as may be desirable to restore the 
burnished appearance. 
A combination of the two methods is sometimes used by adding one 
or two teaspoonfuls of finely powdered whiting to each quart of the 
cleaning solution, and after removal the silver is allowed to dry 
without being rinsed. The film of whiting which adheres to it is 
then rubbed off with a soft cloth. This has the advantage of con- 
venience, but the polish obtained is not so bright as when the two 
methods are used separately. 
After one has tried both methods of cleaning silver it is obvious 
that much less labor is involved in the use of the electrolytic than 
the polishing method. As sodium carbonate in the form of washing 
soda and table salt are to be found in most homes, and since a small 
piece of aluminum or zinc can be purchased for a few cents, the cost 
of the two methods need not differ very much. 
A HOUSEHOLD METHOD. 
The details of a satisfactory method for household use are essen- 
tially as follows: An enamel or agate ware dish should be partly 
filled with a cleaning solution of 1 teaspoonful of either washing or 
baking soda and 1 teaspoonful of common table salt to each quart 
of water and placed directly on the stove to boil. A sheet of alumi- 
num or clean zinc should then be dropped into the dish and the 
tarnished silver placed in contact with this metal. It is best that 
the silver be entirely covered with the cleaning solution and that 
the solution remain at the boiling temperature. As soon as the tar- 
nish has been removed the silver should be removed, rinsed in clean 
water, and wiped with a soft cloth. 
Aluminum corrodes quickly in the cleaning solution, so that 
aluminum dishes of any value for culinary purposes should never 
be used. Aluminum ware, which would otherwise be thrown away, 
or any inexpensive piece of the metal, will serve very satisfactorily 
for cleaning silver. Zinc may be used in place of aluminum, but 
it becomes corroded and inactive in a much shorter time. Unless it 
is possible to obtain a strong acid, such as muriatic acid, in which 
the activity of the zinc may be frequently renewed, it is inadvisable 
to try to employ this metal in the electrolytic method for cleaning 
silver. 
SUMMARY. 
Experiments have shown that the commercial devices for cleaning 
silver by the action of aluminum in solutions of soda are generally 
satisfactory. Zinc is less satisfactory than aluminum because it 
