When I was a little girl, my grandmother would solicit my help polishing the holiday silver. Unfortunately, if one is to believe the excoriating remarks left in the Comments sections, about 99 percent of them can actually damage your silver.
Basic Silver Care
Tarnish is formed when silver is exposed to chemicals in the air or food, namely sulfur, which bond with the silver to form a yellowish brown coating.
How to use silver:
Here’s the good news: the most important tip for keeping silver polished is to use it. Silver that is used and washed daily doesn’t tarnish.
Because silver is a very soft metal, any excessive rubbing, handling, scrubbing, or even polishing will wear and mar the finish, so always handle and treat silver with care.
How to handle silver:
How to wash silver:
Always wash silver by hand and dry immediately. Therefore, you should always hand-wash silver immediately after use.
Special silver cloths like this one are available at places such as The Silver Superstore.
How to Store Silver
Using proper equipment greatly cuts down on the time it takes to polish silver.
How to Polish Silver
Instructions
Protect your work surface and the silver with a soft cloth or rag—I like to use an old terry-cloth towel. Before applying polish, clean the silver with a natural bristle brush or soft cotton or flannel cloth.
There are so many polishes out there, it’s hard to know which to choose. Avoid chemical dips, which strip the manufacturer’s patina and/or can cause pitting.
Use cotton balls to polish. For hard-to-reach areas, such as the tines of a fork, a cotton swab works well. Immediately dry with a clean cotton rag.
With the right tools, it only took me an hour to polish this collection of silver, and I spent most of that time on the highly tarnished and detailed teapot.
Commercial Silver Polish vs. DIY
Many manufacturers apply a desirable patina to their silver, which highlights the designs and relief. One of worst DIY offenders is the oft-touted miracle cure which combines boiling water, baking soda, and aluminum foil.
You’ll note that I did not attempt to remove all the tarnish; I like the way the darker areas highlight the detailed design.
This post is an update; the original story ran on November 11, 2016.
Don’t: