How to Clean Silver

How to Clean Silver

How to Clean Silver
By Kristi Patrice Carter

If you have silver items, you may have noticed how easily they tarnish. This is especially true for silver dishes that are in use. If you have special silver pieces that have sentimental value or just decorative silver, such as jewelry, you need to know how to keep it clean and beautiful so that you can enjoy it for years to come and then maybe pass it on one day. Here are some great tips for how to clean silver and keep it looking great!

Regular Cleaning -

For most silver, if you clean it regularly, it will not develop tarnish. To clean it, you simply need to use a mild soap and luke-warm water. Wash the silver separate from anything else so as to avoid scratching or damaging your silver. Simply wash it with a soft cloth or sponge, rinse it and promptly dry it with a soft cloth. Using a clean, dry, cotton cloth, you can buff the silver until it shines and this regular cleaning method should keep your silver beautiful.

For Regular Silver with No Sentimental Value -

There are some home methods you can use to clean silver, however, they may or may not cause damage. These methods should not be used for silver that is irreplaceable! The first method you can use is toothpaste. You want to choose plain white toothpaste without whitening ingredients. Simply place a dab of toothpaste on a soft cloth and rub the silver gently. Then, you can rinse it and promptly dry it. Usually, this will remove tarnish spots.

For smaller pieces, take a small cup of hot water and dissolve several teaspoons of table salt in it. Fashion a pouch out of aluminum foil and pour some of the hot salty water into the pouch. Drop the silver piece into the pouch and close it. You can shake it a small bit but be careful to avoid scratching. Allow it to sit for a few minutes and then remove the silver. Thoroughly rinse and dry the silver and all of the tarnish should be removed.

For Valuable Silver -

For silver that is of extreme value or sentimental value, you should probably try a professional silver cleaning polish. Remember to check the manufacturer's directions when using a polish so that you do not damage your silver. This is also helpful for silver which has engraving or etching which is hard to reach by hand. You can also consider taking your valuable silver to a professional for cleaning, but you will most likely pay more than you would to simply buy a silver polish. Another option is silver 'dips.' This is typically a chemical that is used to quickly clean the tarnish off of silver items, but again, be careful as it could become damaged. You never want to leave your silver in the dip for more than just a few seconds up to a minute. Then, you will need to rinse and use a soft cloth to dry and polish the silver.

Using the tips and ideas above, you can keep your silver beautiful and shining for years to come.

Kristi Patrice Carter is a housecleaning maniac and the proud author of Super Woman Doesn't Live Here Any More: The Ultimate 2 Week Plan for Getting Your Family to Help With Housework." For ordering information and information on Daily Housecleaning Schedule, please visit http://www.dailyhousecleaningschedule.com

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