You decided to collect silver, but how do you care for it? The first tip is don’t be intimidated. Some people prefer to clean their silver in the dishwasher, but if that is your method of choice keep it separated from your stainless steel. Some find that using the dishwasher can make your silver cloudy. Handwash knives that are made in two parts. The heat in the dishwasher can melt the glue.
The beauty of silver is that it will have a patina, or darkened area in the crevices. Don’t use a dip cleaner or baking soda that will take away all the patina of the piece. A good way to do this is by polishing only the body of the piece and only highlighting the crevices.
Be sure and keep your silver plate intact. Some pieces may look incredibly tarnished, but be careful not to remove the plating when cleaning. You can use a regular silver polish like Goddards or Haggerty’s, but don’t use an abrasive silver cleaner for silver plate pieces. A more abrasive cleaner can be used for heavily tarnished sterling pieces.
Once you have cleaned your silver you can wrap it and store it in “Pacific Cloth” or tarnish resistant paper. This cloth can be purchased by the yard and contains a special chemical that will help prevent future tarnish.
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