Tips for the Care & Cleaning of Silver:

Often, the simple act of cleaning your silver can revive it.  But, when the tarnish becomes to heavy, you will need to polish your silver.

“Don’t look at cleaning silver as a chore.  We find it both therapeutic and like time spent with old friends.  It provides instant gratification as you bring your piece back to its shining glory.”  Lori Hanks

Silver pieces are quite durable and with proper care, will last for generations. The tips provided here will help you care and clean your silver and protect your investment.

silver-cleaning-tools

Tools Needed:

  • Nitrile gloves
  • Flannel polishing cloths
  • Cotton towels
  • Cotton balls
  • Cotton swabs
  • Cotton makeup remover pads
  • Flux brushes
  • Natural boar bristle brushes
  • Good quality silver polish
handwashing-silver

Never put silver in a dishwasher!

  • You should handwash silver in hot, soapy water.
  • Use a cellulose sponge to remove dirt.
  • Use a natural bristle brush to remove any dried polish that may have accumulated in ornamental areas.
  • Rinse with hot water and then dry it completely with a soft flannel cloth or a cotton towel. We would really recommend drying it a second time just to be sure all the moisture is gone.
rinsing-silver
drying-silver

For light tarnish – use hand sanitizer.

hand-sanitizer-clean-silver

  • You can remove light tarnish with cotton balls, cotton makeup pads and/or cotton swabs dipped in hand sanitizer (without aloe).
  • If the hand-sanitizer leaves a residue, rinse it with warm water and then dry thoroughly.
  • Don’t use a toothbrush on heavily ornate areas – the toothbrush bristles are too abrasive. Use a natural boar bristle brush. They can be found in your local hardware store.

hand-sanitizer-cleaning-silver

Brushes we recommend:

  • Horsehair flux brush – this brush helps you get into tight areas and comes in many different sizes.
  • Natural white boar or horsehair brushes are soft enough to not scratch your silver. If you need a stiff brush, cut the bristles shorter.
  • These brushes are easily available at local hardware stores.
polishing-silver

Polishing Silver

  • First, clean it following the recommendations above.
  • Wear nitrile or cotton gloves. Finger marks contribute to tarnish.
  • Polishing – you don’t have to polish at the sight of tarnish, but you don’t want the tarnish to get too heavy. It’s important to use a reputable silver polish that isn’t too abrasive.
  • Don’t use chemical dips! They are way too harsh and can remove some of the silver. If a piece is heavily tarnished, take it to your jeweler for cleaning.
  • Use a good quality silver polish. We recommend Blitz Silver Shine Polish, Scotchgard Tarni-Shield Silver Polish, Twinkle Silver Polish, or Wright’s Silver Cream.
  • Leave the elbow grease behind. Don’t use too much pressure. Use your soft cloth or natural bristle brush and work polish in a back-and-forth manner to maintain a uniform appearance.
  • Once the cloth is dirty, move to a clean portion. Remember that some tarnish in cracks and crevices gives a piece character.
  • Dried on polish can be removed with a warm wet cotton ball or by wetting a natural bristle brush with warm water.
  • Using your silver daily actually reduces the need to polish!
scotton-swab-cleaning-silver

Storing Silver

storing-silver

  • If your silver is not out on display and you want to store it – do so carefully.
  • It is best to store silver in flannel bags, silver storage chests, or drawers that are lined with a tarnish-resistant flannel. We recommend Hagerty Flannel Bags.
  • It is okay to place silver in a sealed, zip-top bag but do not wrap it in plastic wrap.
  • We recommend wrapping silver in acid-free tissue and then placing in the bag to keep air out.
  • To help further reduce tarnish, it can be beneficial to add an anti-tarnish strip to the bag.
silverware-storage
silverware-in-flannel-in-ziploc-bag

Displaying Silver:

  • Don’t hesitate to display your silver. It is beautiful and adds a touch of elegance and sparkle to any decor.
  • If you want to add an extra level of protection and to pro-long the amount of time between polishing, you can use Meguiar’s Ultimate Quik Wax. Simply spray on and buff out with a soft cloth.

meguiars-quik-wax-silver

For tips on collecting silver, check out our blog post on Antique Silver.

Note: Rare Bird Antiques receives no compensation for the products we recommend in this post.