• Keep your silver away from rubber to prevent tarnishing and corrosion.silver cup image by Hao Wang from Fotolia.com
  
  Knowing how to clean metal items and utensils in your home can not only keep them looking like new, it can preserve your items for years to come. Cast iron pans, for example, traditionally pass from generation to generation when cleaned properly. Metals on antiques, such as brass and pewter, should be cleaned, but not brought to a bright shine. The darker, green-like film on the antique metals represent the "patina" that adds to the antiques' value.
  
  

Aluminum

• To clean aluminum, boil 2 cups of water and pour it into a wash tub. Add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar and 1 tsp. of orange or lemon essential oil to the boiled water and place the aluminum items in the tub. Let the items soak for an hour, then rinse in water and dry with a towel. Never use baking soda to clean aluminum.
  
  

Brass

• If you have an antique brass item to clean, always preserve the aged coloring, or patina. Clean the antique brass in warm, soapy water, then polish it using linseed oil and a soft cloth. To clean other types of brass items, pour an equal amount of water and milk into a bowl. For example, use 1 cup of water and 1 cup of milk for small to medium brass pieces. Soak the brass items in the solution for a half hour, then rinse in water and dry with a soft cloth.
  
  

Bronze

• Make a solution of 1/8 cup grapefruit juice, 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 6 drops of cedar essential oil. Wearing latex gloves to protect your skin from the acidity, dip a cloth into the mixture, then rub it into your bronze item. Rinse it in warm water and dry with a soft towel.
  
  

Chrome

• Make an effective chrome cleaner by mixing 1/4 cup of lemon juice, 1/2 cup of baking soda and 3 drops of orange or lemon essential oil together. Pour this solution into a squirt bottle (a spray bottle may clog) and shake it well. Squirt this solution onto the chrome and wipe it off using a damp cloth. Rinse the chrome with clean water.
  You can also clean chrome using undiluted white distilled vinegar or club soda and a soft cloth. Use a dry cloth to shine it. Avoid all abrasive cleaners when cleaning chrome to prevent scratching the surface.
  
  

Copper

• Clean your copper items by cutting a lime or a lemon in half, sprinkling it with table salt, then rubbing the half over the copper. If you do not have lemons or limes, mix 1 tsp. of lemon juice with 2 tbsp. of water. Sprinkle a damp sponge with salt and dip it in the liquid to clean your copper. You can also mix 1 tsp. of lemon or orange essential oil instead of lemon juice into the water.
  
  

Gold

• Clean your gold pieces by making a paste of 1 tbsp. of baking soda and 1 tsp. of liquid Castile soap, a mild soap made with vegetable oil like olive oil. Rub the paste onto the gold, then rinse in warm water and dry using a soft cloth.
  
  

Iron

• If you have a cast iron pan, wash it the first time in soapy, warm water. Then pour vegetable cooking oil in the pan to coat it, also called "seasoning." Heat the iron pan in the oven at about 250 degrees to make a nonstick finish. Every time you clean it, just wash it quickly with soapy water, dry it with a towel and add another coat of vegetable oil. This process keeps your cast iron looking black and rust-free for generations.
  
  

Pewter

• Clean your pewter items by mixing 1 cup of white distilled vinegar, 1 tsp. salt and 4 drops of any essential oil together. Pour enough all-purpose white flour into the mixture just until you have a paste. Put on latex gloves and rub this paste on the pewter. Rinse and dry. You can also clean pewter using wet cabbage leaves.
  
  

Silver

• To remove tarnish from silver, fill a pan with water. Cut strips of aluminum foil and place them in the pan of water. Add 2 tbsp. of cream of tartar to the water, then place your silver items in the pan. Let the silver soak for about an hour. The tarnish will disappear. Rinse the silver and dry all pieces by hand with a soft cloth.
  Keep silver away from any kind of rubber, since rubber tarnish and corrodes silver. If you wash silver in the dishwasher, remove it before the drying stage and dry by hand with a soft cloth.
  
  

Steel

• Clean stainless steel using warm water with liquid dishwashing detergent. This removes fingerprints and grease stains. Rinse well with warm water and with a dry, soft cloth. Remove fingerprints from stainless steel with glass cleaner, then rinse with water and shine with a dry cloth. Keep your steel shiny with baby oil. Avoid using abrasive cleaners and cleaners containing lemon on steel.