Would you, could you, put silver forks in the dishwasher?

[cordiality]

I bought the most beautiful canteen of old cutlery from a car boot sale. It was a bargain and I completely love it.

Our current cutlery is rubbish and nothing matches, and I really don't want to keep this stuff for best (which basically would mean never in our house!).

Only prob is, the forks and spoons are silver plated, and the knives are stainless steel with bone handles. .

Please tell me your stories of how you've been dishwashing the family silver for 40 years and it still looks perfect...

Or AIBU?!

Solid silver is fine in the dishes washer, as long as not touching anything else metal (voice of experience - have chucked ours in for years).

Bone handles best not - some may split due to uneven heating, or glue may dissolve.

Oh, and just to add - if you get a Miele dishwasher with the top drawer cutlery tray, it is piss easy to wash silver and steel cutlery together as each item is held separately anyway so no touching

I’ve washed my silver plated cutlery in the dishwasher for years with no problems, just make sure it doesn’t touch any other metal. I use a silver cleaning cloth to give them a rub occasionally to keep them shiny.
I wouldn’t put the bone handled knives in though, the glue will melt in the heat.

Bone handled knives should be hand washed.
You can get special silver dip for cutlery, works a treat on forks when the tines get discoloured.

@FadedRed I'd be keen to try again with silver plate in the dishwasher. The surface definitely came off for me in the past.

Do you mean they shouldn't touch each other either, or just other types of metal? Do you use a particular type of dishwasher tablet?

Yes we have Arthur price and they can be put in the dishwasher

I could not, would not, in the dishwasher,
Not in a pan,
Nor with a scourer,
I could not use a scrubbing brush,
I could not use a soapy mush
I would not use industrial soap,
Or dry them with a bit of rope,
I do not like it cordiality,
I do not like silverware insanity.

Only with their true consent and blunt end first. Butlers on the other hand are not too fussy.

@WhippettyWeekend - They are Viners and about thirty years old, used 15-20 times every year. I ensure they don’t touch any other metal in the dishwater, but ok touching each other. I am not fussy about DW tabs, mostly use Aldi or Tesco own brands. I don’t use silver polishes, just a wipe over with the blue ‘silver cloth’ occasionally, then washed, and always dry them with a clean soft tea towel to prevent water spots. I’ve also got some much older silver plate items, Victorian and Edwardian, and they get the same treatment.

I've been putting vintage silver-plated cutlery in the dishwasher for years, and it's been absolutely fine. I've never heard anyone say before that you shouldn't have it touching other metals - mine touches other metals, and it hasn't caused problems.

Don't ever ever ever put bone or faux-bone handled knives in a dishwasher, though. It wrecks them, very quickly.

No you shouldn't put that cutlery in the dishwasher. It's no real hardship to wash up a few knives etc by hand is it?

Omg @FestiveNut you have made me, and my kids, so happy! Merry Christmas to you, you lovely Seussy poet!!

Depends how old it is already. I don't put plate in the dishwasher. Definitely not the knives, if they are bone but if they're stainless steel then maybe faux bone?. Either way, hand wash the.lot.

@FadedRed thank you so much
@FestiveNut you’re brilliant!

Aww, shucks, you guys.

@cordiality Merry Christmas to you and your kids too!

I have been machine washing my silver plated silverware for the 30+ years that I have owned it with absolutely no adverse side effects. However as others have said, the bone handled silverware has to be hand washed.