This article was co-authored by Alicia Sokolowski and by wikiHow staff writer, Christopher M. Osborne, PhD. Alicia Sokolowski is a Green Cleaning Specialist and the President and co-CEO of AspenClean, a green cleaning company in Vancouver, British Columbia. With over 2 decades of experience, Alicia specializes in creating a healthier, green alternative to chemical-based cleaning products and services. AspenClean develops and manufactures its own line of 100% Natural, EcoCert® certified, and EWG verified™ cleaning products. AspenClean’s glass cleaner was voted Parent’s Green Pick 2020 by readers of the Parents’ magazine. Alicia holds a CPA designation and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Finance from the University of Toronto.
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Silver is a beautiful, versatile metal, and its soft luster adds a touch of elegance to dishes, flatware, and jewelry. Unfortunately, silver also scratches easily and can quickly develop tarnish (a thin layer of corrosion) on its surface. But you can prevent that from happening! This article lists several helpful ways to keep your silver clean, tarnish-free, and shiny for years of display and use.
Steps
Expert Q&A
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QuestionCan I clean silver with baking soda?Alicia SokolowskiAlicia Sokolowski is a Green Cleaning Specialist and the President and co-CEO of AspenClean, a green cleaning company in Vancouver, British Columbia. With over 2 decades of experience, Alicia specializes in creating a healthier, green alternative to chemical-based cleaning products and services. AspenClean develops and manufactures its own line of 100% Natural, EcoCert® certified, and EWG verified™ cleaning products. AspenClean’s glass cleaner was voted Parent’s Green Pick 2020 by readers of the Parents’ magazine. Alicia holds a CPA designation and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Finance from the University of Toronto.
Green Cleaning SpecialistYes. You can make a paste with baking soda and hot water. Use a ratio of 3-parts baking soda to 1-part water. Rub the paste on to the silver with a microfiber cloth, and use a toothbrush to scrub your silver. Wipe it dry to make it shine like new! -
QuestionCan I use rubbing alcohol to clean silver?Community AnswerYes. As with toothpaste, baking soda, white vinegar, and aluminum foil, rubbing alcohol is a common household item that may be used to clean silver. Alcohol works well on both silver jewelry and silver flatware.
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QuestionCan I use vinegar or 7-Up up to clean my silver earrings?Community AnswerYes, I tried it for mine and it worked great. Vinegar works best, but 7-up should also work.
Video
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Tips
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For sterling flatware, the best way to keep it beautiful is use it on a regular basis and gently wash and dry it immediately after each use. If it's not in storage for a long time, it won’t have a chance to tarnish deeply.Thanks
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In addition to taking off jewelry, consider wearing cotton gloves when handling silver items. Handle silver with bare hands only when using it for food service, and wear nitrile gloves when cleaning it.Thanks
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Many stores and catalogs that sell silver also sell anti-tarnish silver chests lined with treated felt, or just the anti-tarnish felt cloth itself. The treated cloth substantially slows the tarnishing process, but it won’t completely eliminate the need to polish your silver from time to time.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
- Store your silver properly. To prevent tarnish, store silver in a cool, dry place, and consider using anti-tarnish strips or cloths.
- Handle with care: silver is soft and can easily scratch or dent, so be gentle, especially when cleaning or storing it.
- For deeply tarnished items, consider a commercial silver dip. Use sparingly, as it's harsher than manual cleaning.
Warnings
- Avoid using silver utensils and dishes to serve egg-based foods (such as mayonnaise), which can tarnish silver quickly.Thanks
- Avoid wearing silver jewelry in swimming pools. The chlorine can damage the silver in a short time.Thanks
Things You’ll Need
- Nitrile gloves
- Cellulose sponges
- Cotton balls, pads, and swabs
- Soft, 100% cotton towels
References
- ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-clean-silver-plate/
- ↑ https://hermansilver.com/care.htm
- ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-clean-silver-plate/
- ↑ https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/care-silver.html
- ↑ https://hermansilver.com/silver-polish-abrasion-ratings.htm
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/silver_cleaning_secrets
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/silver_cleaning_secrets
- ↑ https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-polish-silver-with-toothpaste-210817
- ↑ https://www.readersdigest.ca/home-garden/cleaning/weird-tricks-clean-silver/
- ↑ https://hermansilver.com/silver-polish-abrasion-ratings.htm
- ↑ Alicia Sokolowski. Green Cleaning Specialist. Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.
- ↑ https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/care-silver.html
- ↑ https://www.readersdigest.ca/home-garden/cleaning/weird-tricks-clean-silver/
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/silver-prevent-tarnishing-22967562
- ↑ https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/care-silver.html
About This Article
To clean silver, start by applying some silver polish to a cotton ball or Q-tip. Then, rub the silver with the polish, using a straight, back-and-forth motion. Once you've gone over all of the silver, rinse it off with water and then dry it with a soft, clean cloth. In addition to polishing your silver, remember to wash it promptly after each use so it doesn't tarnish. To wash your silver, wipe it down with warm water and phosphate-free detergent. For advice on how to remove tarnish from silver with baking soda, scroll down!
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