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Using muriatic acid to clean drinking glasses and flatware

We put some drinking glasses and flatware in some muriatic acid [linked by editor to product info at Amazon] thinking it would remove the water stains, etc. Then washed them in dish soap. However, the flatware came out black looking and the glasses stayed the same. Can you help? Thanks.

GAIL HUNTER
- BELLEVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA

I originally thought that some of our glasses were water stained too. But they're not, the glass is etched from age, abrasion, and dishwasher detergents that are too strong. The stains are not going to come off.

As for the flatware, you don't say whether it's stainless or silver; but if it's silver, try the method in letter 4785.

I hope this muriatic acid idea was your husband's, not yours :-)

Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey

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