Kitchen

[turquoisebb]

Can anyone tell me what causes pitting? Will it make the flatware useless? Thanks.

[Desi]

I can tell you avoid lemon dishwasher cleaner, and anything with bleach. I have some stainless flatware which has rust spots and that isn't supposed to happen either - hence, stainless.

[Desertdi]

Do you use a dishwasher? Could be the product you use. Stainless usually doesn't pit unless harshly treated with some chemical........

[JustJules]

If you leave it in contact with anything acidic for a long period of time it will cause pitting or staining that cannot be polished off. I always rinse off my flatware before putting it in the dishwasher. Pitting doesn't make your flatware useless, just makes it ugly. I have several different sets of stainless flatware, from everyday to really expensive. The everyday I put in the dishwasher, but when I have used the expensive for dinner parties I always wash it by hand after and never let anything acidic sit on it for long.

[turquoisebb]

Thanks for the replies... It happened to my sister and I think she must have used something caustic. Yes a dishwasher and maybe the lemon stuff. Anyway, it did a number on the knives. Live and learn. Appreciate your info.

[Ibby114]

On 7/19/2014 Desi said:

I can tell you avoid lemon dishwasher cleaner, and anything with bleach. I have some stainless flatware which has rust spots and that isn't supposed to happen either - hence, stainless.

There's all different quality stainless flatware. 18/10 and 18/0, for example.

[Kachina624]

In all my years of using stainless flatware, I've never had pitting on it. It must have been poor quality flatware. I have been warned not to let acetic food linger on silver and even had a silver pendant pit when I got a drop of vinegrette dressing on it, but not stainless.

[stilltamn8r]

When they demo the stainless flatware, they always warn against using any kind of lemon dishwasher detergent or additive..I'll bet that is what happened to yours, sorry..Even 18/10 is susceptible to it.

[colliegirls]

I always wipe the mayo or any other acidic foods off the knives before I put them in the washer.

[Ibby114]

They've cut corners all over the place, I wonder if 18/10 these days is really 18/10.