Diatomaceous earth can be used as an abrasive for cleaning and polishing. The silica which makes up DE is an extremely porous and fine powder, yet very hard. This combination makes it a fantastic tool for polishing metals.
Follow the steps below to learn how to polish non-silver utensils with DE.
Step 1:
Make a polishing paste by adding a few drops of lemon, vinegar, or vegetable oil (or all of them) to DE. You want the DE to begin to dampen slightly.
Step 2:
Dip a damp cloth into the mixture.
Step 3:
Rub each utensil with the cloth in a circular motion applying firm pressure. Repeat.
Step 4:
Then rinse and dry the utensils.