A common substance that makes up many items found in the home is pewter. Pewter is typically found in serving dishes, platters, and other utensils found in the kitchen.

Pewter is considered to be the fourth in the list of precious metals. It is a tin alloy that contains some antimony and copper.

The antimony and copper are the components responsible for the color of the pewter, as well as the strength. The percentage of these components varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.

However, the typical percentage of tin found in pewter is 91 percent with the rest a varying mixture of antimony and copper. European pewter is slightly nicer with a minimum percentage of 92 in tin.

Many European pewter creators make a mixture with 95 to 97 percent tin. In general, the higher the percentage of tin, the more silver the final product will be.

As the fourth most precious metal, pewter was generally something only owned by the rich or wealthy. This is still generally true today.

In the past, rumors have been spread about how specific parts of the pewter will contaminate food and drink to make one ill. However, this is not true anymore.

In history, pewter also contained lead. Lead can be very poisonous and it did make people very ill.

However, today the lead has been removed from the formula and these dishes are no longer dangerous. It is easy to tell if a pewter dish has lead in it because there will be a grayish-black patina on the surface.

How dark and what type of oxidation occurs on the surface of pewter also depends on the kind of environment the dish has been stored in.

For the most part, people will leave the patina on the pewter dish because of the antique look that the dark patterns give the dish. Some manufacturers will even imitate the dark patina to enhance the antique look.

This patina can be removed, but if not taken care of, the patina will return due to addition corrosion and rust. If the patina is caused by lead in the pewter, the patina acts as a layer between the food and the lead.

In this case, the patina should not be scrubbed off because it will protect you from lead poisoning. If a lead-free pewter dish oxidizes, it generally takes much longer and the color is distinctively different.

A patina on a lead-free dish will be grayish in comparison to the black or dark gray patina resulting from a lead based pewter dish. There are many things you can do to prevent development of a patina or to treat a patina on your lead-free pewter dishes.

The first thing you Tadalis SX should do is become aware of the foods that can easily stain your pewter dishes. Citrus juices, certain varieties of salad dressings, and many other kinds of food are especially harmful to these platters.

If these foods are served on a pewter dish, make sure that it is washed immediately after use. In addition, pewter is susceptible to warm temperatures.

Pewter objects should not be placed near, on, or in a hot plate, oven, or open flame. This kind of metal only has to reach a temperature of 450 degrees to lose its form.

Likewise, pewter dishes should never be placed in a dishwasher. Washing them by hand will make sure they are properly taken care of and that their delicate needs are met.

Surprisingly, pewter does not need to be clean as often as silver does because it is not as susceptible to tarnishing. There are three types of pewter that must be cleaned differently.

The first kind is polished pewter. This finish is very shiny and smooth and will only need to be cleaned a couple of times throughout a year.

The best way to clean this kind of finish is with a soft cloth and some polish. A homemade substitute for polish that works well is a paste of vinegar, salt, and flour.

Simply rub the substance all over the object in circular movements. These things are very effective in cleaning pewter polish.

The second kind of finish is a satin pewter. Satin pewter has a rougher appearance and is not very shiny.

Warm water and mild soap is the best way to clean satin pewter. You may also want to buff this pewter with fine steel wool to restore its original appearance.

The last kind of finish is oxidized pewter. Oxidized pewter is darker in color and looks very antique.

Warm water and a mild soap are also appropriate for this kind of pewter. Properly taken care of pewter can be a stunning addition to your table layout.

Author Bio: Ignacio Lopez is a resident of Utah and has written hundreds of articles relating to event catering, particularly Utah catering. He has been involved in catering and entertainment for over 20 years.

Contact Info:
Ignacio Lopez
IgnacioLopez09@gmail.com
http://www.vanityfarecatering.com

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