Important: Safety Warning
This page contains a formula or preparation using substances now known to be dangerously toxic, such as arsenic, mercury, lead, or cyanide compounds. Exposure to these substances can cause severe poisoning, permanent injury, or death.
In addition, this page describes trade processes that use dangerously toxic materials such as cyanide solutions, mercury amalgams, or strong acids. These processes require training, equipment, and precautions far beyond what the text describes.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
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To Clean Silver Plate
The tarnish can be removed by dipping the article from one to fifteen minutes in a pickle of the following composition: Rain water, 2 gallons, and cyanide of potash 1/2 pound; dissolve together, and fill into a stone jug or jar, and close tightly. The article after having been immersed, must be taken out and thoroughly rinsed in several waters, then dried with fine, clean sawdust. Tarnished jewelry can be speedily restored by this process; but be careful to thoroughly remove the alkali, otherwise it will corrode the goods.