Tips, Tips, and More Tips from June 2007

An old pewter cleaner is a mixture of mild scouring powder and olive oil. This is OK for everyday pieces, but too harsh for top-quality collectors’ pieces like the early American pewter pictured in this newsletter.

Don’t heat food on a cracked plate in either an oven or a microwave. The crack may widen. Loose glaze may get into the food.

Tea stains can be dramatically lightened if they’re treated with a mixture of equal parts lemon juice and water. Apply the mixture with a cotton swab, then rinse with cool water.

Store a chain necklace completely extended, with no knots or kinks. A fragile link could break if stressed.