Cutlery is an everyday essential object, that you need to be sure you keep in good quality in order to make sure it wears well. All too often, people will leave cutlery they used for dinner lying on their plate for a long time until they wash up, then just shove their cutlery in the washing up bowl, rinse each piece (or let a dishwasher do the work) and leave them out to dry in the air.
This is not good protocol for your cutlery however, and over time it will wear down and become marked. Stainless steel cutlery is the type most people will own, but the word stainless just means that it is stain resistant, not that it cannot stain at all. If you leave corrosive or acidic substances on it, which can be common if you leave your cutlery lying around after food preparation and eating, then it will affect the metal.
Ideally you want to rinse off cutlery as soon as it had been used. Even if you do not wash it fully straight away, just make sure any substances are removed from the metal's surface. If you use a dishwasher, make sure that you separate cutlery made of different metals and materials. If you do not do this, the metal can become pitted because of particles and will lose its quality.
If you hand wash your cutlery then just use common sense really. Make sure you use hot water (it kills germs and cuts through substances and possibly staining materials more quickly) and a good quality washing up liquid. You can find many on the shelves at the supermarket, so make sure you look for a liquid that suits you (antibacterial, more economical as you have to use less, etc). Wash over the cutlery with a washcloth or soft sponge and then rinse it in hot water, before setting on or in a drying stand for a few moments.
Once you have washed up then dry your cutlery straight away with a soft cotton cloth. Make sure you wash your tea towels regularly, as they can easily end up with cooking ingredients and suchlike on them without your realising, thus meaning it may then be transferred to your freshly washed cutlery and dishes.
By making sure you clean and rinse your cutlery in this way you will avoid water marks and stains. If you find you do have discolouration or any other problems with your cutlery then buy some basic metal polish and simply buff them up until they look good again. You can also buff the pieces regularly to enhance shine.
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