While trying out some cleaning ideas, I had a bowl of warm water and dish soap already prepared that I had wiped off some things with baking soda and peroxide.  I figured, why waste the water, I just added a little more baking soda in the water and took a scrubby and wiped off some knives that had a touch of rust on them.  Sometimes it takes some scrubbing to get them clean but I barely rubbed and it all came off.  I'm not sure how it would fare to your really expensive sets but your every day ware it did wonders.  Just a bowl of warm water with some peroxide, baking soda and dish soap.  I guess you can say I got several uses out of that one bowl of water.  White vinegar is a great substitute also for the peroxide, but I just happened to be out today.