Photo courtesy Cambro.

If you’re washing sterling silver and stainless steel flatware at the same time, keep them at opposite ends of the dishwasher basket.

Electrolysis, a chemical reaction between the two metals, will wear away at the silver over time.

The same thing goes for washing flatware in the sink: don’t soak sterling and stainless together.

Of course, it’s best to wash fine silver by hand. Abrasive dishwasher detergents will gradually wear at silver’s surface. But facing a large post-party clean-up, the dishwasher is alluring.