Wherever they are displayed, silver accessories and tableware provide a sense of class and beauty. However, silver will eventually tarnish, and polishing it may be time-consuming. Fortunately, there are methods to halt the tarnishing process, so polishing won’t be required as regularly and your silver will remain beautiful. Your silver will stay shiny if you use it frequently and take good care of it when you wash it.
Method1：Keeping Silver Safe
1. Keep your silver away from extreme heat and low humidity. Silver tarnishes more quickly in humid and hot environments. Put your silverware and silver jewelry in storage in areas of your home that satisfy these criteria to keep them sparkling and polished.
- For this reason, china cabinets are ideal for storing delicate tableware since they control ventilation to maintain a constant temperature and avoid trapping too much moisture.
2. For further protection against tarnishing, store silver in protective bags. The greatest thing you can do with silver that won’t be on show when not in use is store it in a specialized container. Flannel or anti-tarnish cloth are the finest materials for the job since they have been properly prepared to prevent the chemicals that cause silver to tarnish from getting activated.
- Make cautious not to overfill the bag if you are putting several silver things in it. Your silver shouldn’t contact any other objects since doing so might seriously harm it.
3. Avoid storing or wrapping silver in substances that often cause tarnishing. A lot of everyday objects might damage your silver polishes because they either contain chemicals or foster circumstances that encourage tarnishing.
- This includes wrapping paper that is typically used, such newspaper. The corrosive ink that covers them has the potential to harm the silver.
- Plastic bags can also cause tarnishing because they hold moisture and obstruct air, both of which are bad.
- For storage, even short-term storage, cardboard boxes are not advised since they trap moisture and don’t allow for enough ventilation.
- Don’t use rubber bands to hold your silverware together. They tarnish because they contain sulfur.
4. Every now and again, remove the silver from storage and utilize it. Using it is a terrific way to display your silver (what’s the purpose of owning it if it is never seen?) and stop corrosion from growing! This is due to the fact that the majority of people wash their silver after using it, as you should also.
- To ensure that all of your silverware is utilized evenly when using it, rotate the dishes and silverware you use. The less-used ones will start to tarnish if this continues.
Method2：After-Use Silver Cleaning
1. Warm, soapy water should be used to clean the silver. Do this immediately after using it, since the oils on your skin and food residue can begin to chemically react with the silver and destroy it.
- Before touching the silver, wash your hands. Consider using cotton gloves as well.
- Silver should not be washed in the dishwasher. Putting silver in the dishwasher will not cause tarnishing, but it will leave marks. Hand washing should always be done with caution.
2. For an additional shine, soak the silver in a hot baking soda bath. Bring a kettle of water to a rolling boil. Line another pan with aluminum foil and add 12 cup (120 mL) white vinegar, 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) baking soda, and 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) salt. Pour the boiling water into the tray. Place your silver in this mixture and allow it for about 30 seconds before removing it.
3. Dry the silver with a flannel or cotton cloth. Gently wipe the silver’s surface in tiny circles with a soft flannel or cotton cloth. Allowing the silver to air dry might produce spots.
- There are anti-tarnish cloths available that are coated with chemicals that prevent tarnishing and polish when used to buff. If you desire silver that gleams, this may be a smart purchase.
