How to Care for Stainless Steel Flatware

Print PDF

What is Stainless? Stainless flatware is most commonly either 18/8 or 18/10 stainless steel. Some stainless flatware compounds contain varying amounts of chromium and some contain nickel. Better flatware brands are made from steel containing both chromium and nickel. The 18 in 18/8 and 18/10 means the steel contains 18% chromium in combination with either 8% or 10% nickel; 18/0 indicates 0% nickel.

Chromium gives steel its stain and rust-resistant properties. Nickel provides three functions:

• it combines with the other elements to make stainless rust free;

• it minimizes the steel’s susceptibility to stain; and

• it imparts a brighter andwhiter color which gives the flatware a look similar to silver.

Care Instructions

Stainless steel requires some care, although minimal. It is not stain-proof.  Stainless is resistant to most foods, however, discoloration can be caused by ingredients found in coffee, tea, eggs, salad dressing, vinegar, mustard and salt. Pitting and spotting are usually the result of a high mineral content in the water, undissolved particles of a high chloride detergent, or food with a high salt content. It is recommended that all pieces should be washed immediately after use. Avoid soaking in water overnight or for an extended period of time.

Hand Washing: Wash in hot, soapy water using a mild detergent. Rinse in clean, hot water and dry immediately. Avoid using abrasive cleaners and pads as these will scratch the finish.

Using a Dishwasher: Use the engery cycle or remove flatware before hot air drying. Hot air drying increases the probability of discoloration and can damage hollow handle knives. If you use the extra detergent opening, be sure this does not deposit the detergent directly onto the flatware. This can cause detergent build-up which dulls your flatware finish.

If your flatware has already been dulled from dishwasher detergent, try hand washing a few times to remove it. You can also use a non-abrasive stainless cleaner. Use a cleaner which is not granular and specifically states it will not scratch. At SilverCollect, we always have non-abrasive silver polish on hand, and this works just as well as a stainless cleaner.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 10th, 2006 at 2:50 pm and is filed under Reference Articles, Stainless Steel Flatware. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.