Ways to clean and maintain old salt shakers
Antique salt shakers are older models that are often very attractive to collectors and buyers. In fact, these are heirloom items, passed down from one generation to the next. In some houses, you will find a very old salt and pepper shaker, which looks like new. If properly maintained, these items can last for years and years without scratches, marks, or stains.
When considering antiques, you are basically looking at products from the Victorian era. These are the products that first emerged between 1860 and 1910. They were made primarily of high-quality glass and are available to this day. However, you should also expect to find various porcelain, crystal, and silver salt and pepper shakers.
They are all very beautiful and have the potential to last longer only if one is willing to give them the attention they deserve. How should you clean and maintain old salt shakers? Although there are many different types available, the cleaning procedure is generally the same. Buy some baking soda because it will be needed in your kitchen for other reasons.
Next, boil some water and place it in a bowl or other clean container. Pour a few teaspoons of baking soda into the water, and then submerge the salt and pepper shakers in the solution for a few minutes. Then remove it, rinse it with clean water, and place it upside down on a clean, flat surface. As mentioned above, some of these old versions are very sensitive and require careful handling.
This is why you want to use a sharp item to remove the dirt, such as a toothpick or clean stick. Before you can do that, remove the contents of the shaker and use the sharp object to scrape away any clogged holes and sticky gunk. Any old salt shaker made of metal, such as a silver salt shaker, will develop rust stains. To remove these stains, you must immerse the device in an ammonia solution. Make sure a room has good ventilation so as not to contaminate during the ten minutes that the stirrers would remain in the solution.
Sometimes the rust stain won’t come off because it could have grown to a permanent level and in such a case the shaker would require a refinish treatment. If you don’t have to redecorate your silver salt shaker, find professionals who are willing to do it for a fee. In order to protect these items for long-term use, keep them empty, especially if you don’t have to use them.
By the way, you don’t need to clean these appliances often. Twice a year washing will give them a constant shine and beauty. If properly maintained, these old salt shakers They are cute little items that most people would love to collect. Are you a collector? If so, the Internet is a good resource for you as it has information and products. Choose lovely products that sooner or later you can put up for sale online or offline.