This is How to Polish Silver and Keep Your Flatware Shining

While very beautiful, household silver will tarnish over time. It’s better to be safe than sorry when brushing up on your silver cleaning and polishing skills, and whether you’re working with tableware, vases, or jewelry, you should polish them every so often to get rid of any dullness and bring back a nice shine.

You want to be careful when it comes to maintaining your silver, as using a heavy hand or storing it incorrectly can damage the finish. With the help of cleaning experts Beth Walker and Zeynep Mehmetoglu, we’ve put together a complete guide to help you clean and polish silver. 

How to Clean Silver-Plated or Sterling Silver

Supplies

• Warm water
• Non-citrus liquid soap
• 100% cotton flour sack cloth 
• Silver polish
• Natural bristle brush

Step 1: Wash Silver in Warm Water

Using warm water and a non-citrus-based liquid soap, wash your silver to remove any debris. “Keep in mind that some silver items, like vanity sets, pieces with mirrors, and weighted items, should not be immersed in water,” Walker says. 

Step 2: Dry the Silver

With a 100% cotton flour sack cloth, dry your silver, but try to avoid terry cloth, as the loops in the fiber can leave excess moisture on the silver, according to Walker. 

Step 3: Use a Quality Silver Polish

Next, use quality silver polish to coat the item. Once dry, use a cloth to buff and polish the silver. 

Step 4: Remove the Polish

Use a natural bristle brush to remove any leftover polish that may be in the crevices of your silver. “I do not recommend a toothbrush, as the nylon bristles can scratch the silver,” Walker says. 

Step 5: Spot Clean 

Try using a multi-metal polish on any stubborn stains that remain. Walker recommends Simichrome All Metal Polish.

How to Clean Silver With Baking Soda

Supplies

• Aluminum pan
• Baking soda
• Boiling water
• Tongs
• Polishing cloth

Step 1: Put Silver in an Aluminum Pan

Use a deep aluminum pan that can fit all the silver pieces you need to clean. “If you don’t have an aluminum baking pan, use a deep container and line it with aluminum foil,” Mehmetoglu says. 

Step 2: Create Mixture With Boiling Water and Baking Soda

Boil a gallon of water, then add one cup of baking soda to the container along with the boiling water. A reaction will occur and the mixture will start to fizz. 

Step 3: Add Silver and Let It Soak

Add your silver and let it sit for five to ten minutes. Turn over the items with tongs every few minutes, allowing each to come in contact with the aluminum. 

Step 4: Dry and Polish Silver

After sitting in the solution, you should be able to remove the tarnish easily. “If the pieces are still tarnished, you can polish them with a Scotch-Brite scouring pad or polishing cloth,” Mehmetoglu advises.

Cleaning Silver With Other Home Remedies

For a quick, at-home solution to polishing silver, there are a few items you can use that you most likely already own. You can use plain, solid-colored toothpaste and a microfiber cloth to polish your silver. You can also use corn starch to polish silver by mixing it with water to create a paste. Use a cloth to add the paste to tarnished spots, let it dry, then clean off with a cloth. 

How to Prevent Silver From Getting Tarnished

When it comes to cutlery, the best way to keep silver from tarnishing is to use it, according to Walker. When your silver isn’t in use, store it in anti-tarnish cloth bags or individually in clean tissue paper away from direct sunlight. Mehmetoglu suggests not using wool or cotton felt bags to store your silver, as they may tarnish your items. 

For silver décor, you may have to polish more frequently. If it is stored in a display cabinet, you can add activated carbon paper or camphor blocks to your shelves to help preserve the shine, according to Mehmetoglu. 

“One other option is to have the pieces lacquered, but we only recommend that for items like light fixtures or pieces that will not be used with foods, liquids, or heat,” Walker says. “Once an item is clear coated, it should remain shiny and tarnish-free for years, but the lacquer renders it non-usable, so it should be used for decorative items only.”