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If your precious silver is exposed to air for long periods of time it can become tarnished. You should clean your silver periodically so that it stays looking shiny and new. It is not difficult to do and it will extend the life of your precious silver.
Some of the things you will need to clean your silver are:
∗ Dishtowels
∗ A couple of polishing cloths
∗ Liquid dish soap
∗ Silver polish
∗ Polishes that have tarnish retardant
Here are some steps to take when cleaning and polishing your silver.
∗ If you use your silver, or at least handle it, regularly it can help keep your silver tarnish-free.
∗ Do not expose your silver for long periods of time to foods that have a high sulfur content, which can corrode your silver. Some foods that are high in sulfur are mayonnaise, eggs, and mustard.
∗ After you clean your silver make sure you do not let it dry on rubber mats because rubber also contains sulfur.
∗ When you wash and dry your silver make sure you do it by hand and never put it in the dishwasher.
∗ When drying your silver you have to do it with a soft dishtowel.
∗ When you use silver polish make sure to carefully follow the instructions. Read the label and find out how much you should use and any other special instructions.
∗ When using the silver polish rub the polish thoroughly in the silver, especially if there are designs or engravings on the silver.
∗ Buff the silver's surface using a new and dry polishing cloth until you can see a bright sheen on the silver.
∗ Make sure after you have thoroughly polished your silver that you remove all of the tarnish. If you do not remove all of it you will taste it on the food you serve with the silver, and silver polish tastes very bad.
∗ It may be a good idea, if your silver has not been used for a long time, that you treat it with a polish that has tarnish retardant before you store your polish.
TIPS:
∗ If you polish silver-coated or silver-plated pieces often it can wear down the finish, which leaves the base metal on the silver exposed. Instead of polishing pieces such as these try to use them often and wash them by hand so they will not tarnish.
∗ If your silver is worth a significant amount of money check with an expert and find out what the best polishes to use are.
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