How to Clean Silver
Wash your silver often and promptly after use., Don't use the dishwasher to clean silver., Polish your silver when light tarnish develops., Avoid scratching your silver., Store your silver correctly.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wash your silver often and promptly after use.
Silver that is frequently used rarely has tarnish problems.
When tarnish is not yet present, or when it's just beginning to develop, simply wash your silver in warm water with a gentle, phosphate-free detergent.
Make sure to use a non-lemon based detergent, as lemon-based products can spot the silver.
It's a good idea to wash silver separately from your other dishes because metal sinks and utensils can scratch silver, and stainless steel can damage the finish if it comes into contact with your silver.
Avoid using rubber gloves when washing silver, as rubber corrodes silver.
Use a soft cloth to gently rub the silver clean and dry promptly with a soft towel.
Gently buff the shine into dull silver with a soft cotton cloth.
Use nitrile gloves – they contain no sulfur that will promote the formation of tarnish.
Cotton gloves are also acceptable. -
Step 2: Don't use the dishwasher to clean silver.
The high temperatures and rough washing can change the color of silver and cause damage, especially to pieces that are porous.
Do all of your silver cleaning by hand., Tarnish is a thin layer of corrosion that naturally develops on the outermost layer of silver and other metals.
When you see the dark tinge of tarnish on your silver, simple hand washing may not suffice to remove it.
Specially formulated silver polishes are your safest option for polishing silver, especially if you are dealing with an antique or a piece that has intricate designs etched into it.
Follow the manufacturer's directions carefully.
It's best to use a cellulose sponge for polishing, because it won't scratch like the sponges that come supplied with some polishes.
You could also try cotton balls and use flattened Q-tips between fork tines.
Moisten a soft, silver-polishing cloth or the sponge included with the silver polish.
Rub the silver only in straight-line, back-and-forth motions (not in circles).
Avoid scrubbing and simply let the polish do the job.
Rinse the silver under running water.
Dry the silver completely with a soft, clean cloth. , Using a silver platter as a cutting board is never a good idea.
Avoid storing sharp objects in a silver container, and if you stack silver, make sure each piece is padded.
Don't throw silver utensils in the sink, as they may get scratched by each other or other dishes. , Beyond prompt and frequent cleaning, the best way to preserve your silver is to store it correctly.
Make sure each piece is completely dry before storing it.
Wrap each piece in acid-free tissue paper or anti-tarnish paper.
You can also wrap pieces in flannel (special flannels are made just for this purpose).
Seal the wrapped silver pieces in an airtight plastic bag.
A canister of silica gel placed nearby can help reduce humidity and ward off tarnish.
Never store silver where it can contact rubber, stainless steel, or paint.
For sterling flatware, the best way to keep it beautiful is use it on a regular basis and gently wash/dry it with gentle dish soap and water.
If it's not in storage for a long time, it doesn't have a chance to tarnish deeply.
Many stores and catalogs that sell silver will also sell anti-tarnish silver chests lined with treated felt, or just the anti-tarnish cloth itself.
These cloths lengthen the amount of time needed between polishings, but you still need to do it.
They are also great for storage, as they keep the pieces from being banged around too much.
If your silver chest doesn't have a drawer for serving pieces, you can just wrap them in a piece of anti-tarnish cloth or stripsand put that in a regular box. -
Step 3: Polish your silver when light tarnish develops.
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Step 4: Avoid scratching your silver.
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Step 5: Store your silver correctly.
Detailed Guide
Silver that is frequently used rarely has tarnish problems.
When tarnish is not yet present, or when it's just beginning to develop, simply wash your silver in warm water with a gentle, phosphate-free detergent.
Make sure to use a non-lemon based detergent, as lemon-based products can spot the silver.
It's a good idea to wash silver separately from your other dishes because metal sinks and utensils can scratch silver, and stainless steel can damage the finish if it comes into contact with your silver.
Avoid using rubber gloves when washing silver, as rubber corrodes silver.
Use a soft cloth to gently rub the silver clean and dry promptly with a soft towel.
Gently buff the shine into dull silver with a soft cotton cloth.
Use nitrile gloves – they contain no sulfur that will promote the formation of tarnish.
Cotton gloves are also acceptable.
The high temperatures and rough washing can change the color of silver and cause damage, especially to pieces that are porous.
Do all of your silver cleaning by hand., Tarnish is a thin layer of corrosion that naturally develops on the outermost layer of silver and other metals.
When you see the dark tinge of tarnish on your silver, simple hand washing may not suffice to remove it.
Specially formulated silver polishes are your safest option for polishing silver, especially if you are dealing with an antique or a piece that has intricate designs etched into it.
Follow the manufacturer's directions carefully.
It's best to use a cellulose sponge for polishing, because it won't scratch like the sponges that come supplied with some polishes.
You could also try cotton balls and use flattened Q-tips between fork tines.
Moisten a soft, silver-polishing cloth or the sponge included with the silver polish.
Rub the silver only in straight-line, back-and-forth motions (not in circles).
Avoid scrubbing and simply let the polish do the job.
Rinse the silver under running water.
Dry the silver completely with a soft, clean cloth. , Using a silver platter as a cutting board is never a good idea.
Avoid storing sharp objects in a silver container, and if you stack silver, make sure each piece is padded.
Don't throw silver utensils in the sink, as they may get scratched by each other or other dishes. , Beyond prompt and frequent cleaning, the best way to preserve your silver is to store it correctly.
Make sure each piece is completely dry before storing it.
Wrap each piece in acid-free tissue paper or anti-tarnish paper.
You can also wrap pieces in flannel (special flannels are made just for this purpose).
Seal the wrapped silver pieces in an airtight plastic bag.
A canister of silica gel placed nearby can help reduce humidity and ward off tarnish.
Never store silver where it can contact rubber, stainless steel, or paint.
For sterling flatware, the best way to keep it beautiful is use it on a regular basis and gently wash/dry it with gentle dish soap and water.
If it's not in storage for a long time, it doesn't have a chance to tarnish deeply.
Many stores and catalogs that sell silver will also sell anti-tarnish silver chests lined with treated felt, or just the anti-tarnish cloth itself.
These cloths lengthen the amount of time needed between polishings, but you still need to do it.
They are also great for storage, as they keep the pieces from being banged around too much.
If your silver chest doesn't have a drawer for serving pieces, you can just wrap them in a piece of anti-tarnish cloth or stripsand put that in a regular box.
About the Author
Debra Wells
Brings years of experience writing about DIY projects and related subjects.
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