How to Clean Silver

Silver is nice to look at. Displayed in your home, it can be a conversation piece at parties and gatherings.

Cleaning your silver on a regular basis will keep it looking like new.

The major problem with silver is tarnish. Tarnish occurs when silver is exposed to the air for prolonged periods of time. The metal oxidizes and the silver becomes discolored. Certain foods that contain sulfur (eggs, mayonnaise, anything made with eggs) can corrode the silver metal. Tarnish gives the silver that dull look we don’t want to see.

A way to avoid silver tarnish is to use it. Regular use will avoid tarnish on your silver flatware, trays, and tea service. When you buy silver pieces, consider how much it will be used around the house. If your silver is just for show, consider leaving it in the store. Flatware can be stored in velvet lined cases to minimize contact with the air.

When you use your silver, clean the food off of them immediately. Wash silver with warm soap and water. Never allow silver to sit in dish water or rest on rubber surfaces to dry. Rubber contains sulfur which could tarnish the silver. All silver should be dried after washing with a clean cloth. Do not put silver in the dishwasher.

To protect the finish on the silver, use a silver polish after cleaning. The polish will seal in the shine on your silver. The silver polish should be applied according to the instructions on the bottle. Polish should always be placed on the rag and not directly on the silver.

This allows for an even distribution of the polish over the surface. After the polish is worked into the silver, take a clean cloth and buff the silver to a shine. Remember to wash the silver before using it again to remove the silver polish.

Silver-plated items should be cleaned by hand to avoid tarnish. Using a silver polish can remove the silver plate over time and ruin your pieces. Frequent use will help avoid tarnish on these items.

If your silver does become tarnished, there is a product on the market called Tarn-X® that has been advertised for years as a leading tarnish remover that is safe for silver products.

It removes the tarnish and restored the shine in minutes. The best thing to do is avoid this problem altogether by taking care to use and clean your silver often. You will get many good years of service in return for your careful maintenance.

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