Wash, after each meal, all that is soiled, in _very_ hot soft water,
with hard soap. Wipe hard and quickly on a clean towel; then polish
with dry flannel. If discolored with egg, mustard, spinach, or beans,
by any other means, rub out the stain with a stiff toothbrush (used
only for this purpose), and silver soap.
For years I have used no other preparation for cleaning silver than the
Indexical silver soap, applied as I have described. After rubbing with
a stiff lather made with this, wash off with hot water, wipe and polish
while hot. There is no need for the weekly silver cleaning to be an
event or a bugbear, if a little care and watchfulness be observed after
each meal. Silver should never be allowed to grow dingy. If Bridget
or Chloe will _not_ attend properly to this matter, take it in hand
yourself. Have your own soap-cups—two of them—one with common soap, the
other with a cake of silver soap in the bottom. Have for one a mop, for
the other a stiff brush—a toothbrush is best. Use your softest towels
for silver.
Besides being clean and easy of application, the silver soap will not
wear away the metal as will whiting or chalk, or plate-powder, however
finely pulverized.