Our Guide to the Practical care of Silver

The Practical Care of Silver

Caring for your silver is easier than you may think.  For most of it, the simple solution is to use it! 

When you use your silver, hand wash and dry it, you do 95% of your polishing.  Use a gentle, non-acidic (no lemon scent) dishwashing liquid.  Washing and dusting unused silver will also help.  Not everyone has silver.  If you are lucky enough to own it, use it and enjoy it!  Obviously, museum quality pieces should be treated with respect while you enjoy.

Tiffany's 1894 Blue Book recommends using 'Castile' soap to wash silver.  Castile soap, originally from the Castile region of Spain, is a generic term for soap made from olive oil.  It can be easily found today and a natural, non acidic (no citrus added) variety would be very good for daily use on silver.

Since tarnish is oxidation, the less your silver is exposed to air, the less tarnish you will see.  Keeping flatware in a drawer or chest with anti-tarnish lining helps.  Using an enclosed display cabinet will also slow the tarnishing process. 

Storing unused items in anti-tarnish bags will also be helpful. Even closing windows helps.  Do not use saran wrap or other plastic on your silver – chemicals can leach from the plastic to the silver, permanently damaging the surface. 

Polishing:

When we exhibit at shows, the most common question we hear is: "What do you use to polish your silver?"

No need to over polish your silver.  One of the delightful things about silver is how it reflects light.  A little patina, or tarnish, in recesses next to polished highlights gives the surface texture and depth.  Lightly polished silver is one of the prettiest things in any home.

To polish your silver, we recommend Weiman (formerly called Wrights) Silver Polish.  It is non- abrasive and has tarnish inhibitors.  It is fine for everyday use.  Wrights' Silver Cream is mildly abrasive and good for tougher jobs.  The Silver Cream is the pink paste which comes in a tub that is widely available in supermarkets (although we usually find it cheaper at Wal-Mart).  The Anti-Tarnish Silver Polish is no longer easy to find in stores, but easy to find online.  You may want to buy a 6-pack carton to keep it handy. 

Both these products are non toxic and safe to keep around the house.  (Although, like any household product, please keep secure from young children and pets.)

Other makers make good polish – Haggerty, Goddard, etc., so this is not an exclusive recommendation.  Just be sure to use their non abrasive polish.  We have used Wrights' over the years and been happy with it.

Please rinse your silver carefully after polishing.  (While polish is not dangerous, the pink Silver Cream can be mildly corrosive to your silver if left on for long periods.)  Dry with a soft cotton cloth.

Do not use toothbrushes; they can scratch your silver.

For more information about Weiman's polishes, please see:

http://www.weiman.com/products/metals/silver_polish.php

http://www.weiman.com/Products/Silver---All-Metals/Silver-Cleaner.aspx

Dip:

We do not recommend the use of liquid tarnish remover for several reasons.

Technically, it works by chemically removing the oxidation from the surface of the silver, but when used incorrectly it can permanently damage your silver. 

'Dip', as it is colloquially known, will remove all tarnish so that any surface, even surfaces where we like to see patina, will be cleaned.  This gives fancy silver an overall bright, white look with no depth or clarity of design.  We highly discourage this.

Further, leaving your silver in the liquid too long can physically damage the surface of the silver.  We've all seen painful examples of the yellow/brown surface created by this.  Please don't do this to your silver.  If you must dip, dip quickly…every second counts.  And only dip plain silver, please.

Lastly, these chemicals are toxic.  And they smell.

Silver Gilt:

Gilded silver, which has a thin layer of gold applied to the silver, should not need much polishing since gold does not easily tarnish.  Because this layer is thin, you should be careful polishing. 

Polish as little (and as lightly) as possible using only nonabrasive polishes.  Tiffany's 1894 Blue Book suggests gently rubbing gilding with ammonia moistened linen cloth when occasionally necessary. 

Polishing Gloves:

Gloves are fine to use for light polishing or cleaning.  We use them to remove fingerprints at shows and for other light polishing jobs.

Food:

Acids, alkali and sulfur can be corrosive to silver and simple steps will help your silver stay clean.  Salt and eggs are the two main culprits and this is why most objects for use with them are gilded.  Salt cellars may have glass liners; if so check to make sure no salt gets between the liner and the silver.  Other salt cellars should be emptied and then washed when not in use.  Egg spoons, ice cream spoons, etc. should be washed as soon as practical after use.

Candlesticks and Candelabra:

The most elegant interiors use silver candleholders.  Candle light creates a truly wonderful environment and a few easy measures will keep your candleholders happy. 

Use your bobeches!  Bobeches, or nozzles, are the (usually) removable receptacles on the top of your candlesticks or candelabra where you place the candles.  When putting candles in your holders – remove the bobeche, place the candle in it, then place the bobeche back in position.  This greatly reduces stress on the holder.  Not doing this is the foremost cause of broken candelabra arms.

When polishing, remove the bobeche and candelabra arms. Polish them separately.  Place the candlestick upright and hold in place while polishing.  Polish the candelabra arms gently – they are delicate.

A tip for removing problem wax buildup: if rinsing with warm water is insufficient, put it in the freezer and then try removing the wax.

Knives:

Old knives with carbon steel blades are the sharpest knives available.  But they do require care so they will not rust.  Whether silver plated or not, always hand wash and carefully dry your knives or they will rust. 

We found this advice from Oneida silversmiths on a circa 1930's knife bag:

CARE OF KNIVES!

Keep knives ALWAYS in a DRY place.  The blades of all knives are steel.  These are heavily plated with silver, but no amount of silver plate will entirely prevent rusting of knife blades if they are left where moisture can attack them.  Continuous use does not harm knives, as much as improper care.  Therefore, wash, rinse and dry thoroughly after use, then - KEEP THEM DRY.

ONEIDA COMMUNITY, Ltd., Oneida, N.Y.

Dishwashers:

Dishwashers are not good for silver. Granular detergent is too abrasive for silver (and older gilded porcelain).  Chlorine can damage the surface of the silver over time and give it a yellowish hue.  Heat is damaging to knives.  At worst, antique knife handles can split into pieces.  Many handles become loose and some part from the blade.  Most modern knife handles are made to be dishwasher safe, old ones (before 1970) should NEVER go in the dishwasher.  (And obviously, the same for carbon steel blades.)

If you must use the dishwasher, there are a few safeguards you should consider.  First, use a non-acidic liquid detergent.  Second, keep silver and stainless separate – they can permanently stain each other.  Third, use a gentle cycle.  Last, hand dry your silver.  This will keep chlorine and other chemical residues from baking onto your silver and damaging the surface.