Care & tarnish
What actually damages flatware, and the habits that prevent it.
Three different reactions get confused with each other. Knowing which one you are looking at takes seconds and saves a lot of pointless scrubbing.
| What you see | What it is | Fixable |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudy film across everything | Detergent or hard water | Yes |
| Dark freckles that will not wipe off | Pitting corrosion | No |
| Even darkening on silver | Tarnish, a sulphur reaction | Yes, with polish |
| Pink or copper patches on plate | Plating worn through | Only by replating |
The dishwasher, settled
Stainless goes in. Four conditions decide the outcome: rinse salt and acid off before loading, keep dissimilar metals apart in the basket, unload promptly, and do not pack pieces so tightly they shield each other from water.
Pitting is permanent
Those small dark spots are holes where chlorides broke through the passive layer. No polish fills them. The prevention is the ten-second rinse before loading, and it is worth more than any product.
Silverplate
Polish with a proper silver polish in straight strokes, then wash and dry completely. Keep it out of the dishwasher, and never bundle it with rubber bands, which release sulphur and print dark stripes within weeks.
The full routine, including storage, is in the care article.