How to Shine Damaged Pewter Dishes

Cleaning

• 1

  Fill a sink or basin with mild dish soap and warm water. Submerge the pewter dishes and allow them to soak for about 15 minutes. Gently scrub the dishes with a nylon scrubber to remove any oxidation. For minor oxidation, this may be all you need to do before polishing.

• 2

  Scrub the dishes with a sponge sprinkled with a mildly abrasive cleanser, using kerosene to moisten it in place of water. The kerosene will help remove oxidation, while bringing out the shine. Rinse well under running water and dry before polishing.

• 3

  Spray the dishes with a food-grade penetrating oil if you can't scrub the oxidation away using other methods. Allow the oil to sit on the dishes for 15 to 30 minutes, then gently scrub the oiled dishes with an emery cloth to remove the residue. Re-apply the penetrating oil, if necessary. Once you've removed the oxidation, wash the dishes in mild soap and water and dry before polishing.

Polishing

• 4

  Apply a layer of silver polish to the dishes with a soft cloth. If the dishes have fine detail, use a toothbrush to coat hard-to-reach areas.

• 5

  Allow the silver polish to dry on the dishes until it appears cloudy.

• 6

  Rub the dishes with a polishing cloth. Use a circular motion, folding and turning the cloth as sections become covered in polish. If the plate has detailed areas, rinse the dishes under running water, scrubbing the polish away with a toothbrush. Dry the dishes with a soft polishing cloth.