How To Polish Silver

Shiny polished silver is the pride of any home. Be it antiques or tableware, silver lends a grandeur and charm that perhaps no other metal gives. The soft luster of silver adds elegance to any event, which explicitly explains why is silver the most used decorative item in any event that wishes to exude the spirit of royalty. Silver is carried through generations, and such wares remain the prized possessions of any home. However, unlike other metals, silver can easily get stained, scratched or tarnished. Because of this many people prefer to stow their silverwares in back shelves, where they remain in languish, until a very precious event recalls for them. However, you need to understand, though costly and delicate, the beauty of silver is not made for the glory of the dark attics. Silverware should be the centerpiece of the house. Those of you who have been handling away your silver possessions to the garrets, thinking that maintaining silver is time consuming and risky, you could not have been more wrong. In fact, a little bit of care and proper cleaning technique is all that you need for maintaining the sparkling silvery charm of your silverwares. Read below for a few tips on how you can bring your silver to its former glory.

Silver Polishing Tips

One of the drawbacks of silver is that it gets tarnished very easily. However, if the silver is not yet tarnished then you can clean it by washing it in warm water with a gentle, phosphate-free detergent. Take care that you do not wash it in hot water. While washing the silver, take care that you do not wear rubber gloves as the rubber can corrode the silver. Rub the silver with a soft cloth and then dry with soft towel.
At the time of polishing tarnished silver, you might require a commercial silver polish to clean it. First, dampen the silver polishing cloth and take a bit of the polish. Then, rub the silver with the cloth gently in straight lines back and forth. Do not rub it in circles and avoid scrubbing. Now, place the silver in running water to rinse. Dry it with a soft and clean cloth.
For less valuable silverware, you can use toothpaste. However, make sure you take plain white toothpaste and not the gel counterparts. Dampen a soft cloth or a sponge with water and squeeze some toothpaste on it. Rub the paste gently over the silver in straight lines in back and forth motions. Do not use the toothpaste on antique or expensive silver items, as it can damage them.
If the tarnish is too stubborn, then you can use baking soda. Take care that baking soda is not too abrasive as it may damage the silver. Mix some baking soda with warm water to form a paste. Apply a little bit of the paste on a damp cloth and then rub the silver gently back and forth in straight lines. If you find any scratches, then immediately rinse in running water.
Some aerated beverages are also very effective in cleaning silver. Fill a cup with an aerated beverage and place the silver in it. The acid in the beverage removes the dirt, leaving the silver shining.

Silver Polishing Dip

You can also make a silver dip to polish the silver without rubbing. Silver dips are very effective in dissolving stains. Fill a vessel with water and then dissolve a large amount of table salt in it. Heat the water. Constantly stir so that the salt gets dissolved. You can also use washing soda, instead of the salt.
Next, take an aluminum foil and place it in the container of hot water with the edges of the foil lining the rim of the container. Take care not to touch the water.
Place the silver after cleaning it with soap inside the foil. Keep for several minutes so that the tarnish dissolves. The tarnish would dissolves because of the electrochemical reaction between the aluminum metal and the tarnish, which is silver sulfide facilitated by the table salt.
After about few minutes, remove the silverware and you would be surprised to see sparkling new silverware!

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