How to Clean Silver

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Silver is a beautiful, versatile metal, and its soft luster adds a touch of elegance to dishes, flatware, and jewelry. Unfortunately, silver also scratches easily and can quickly develop tarnish (a thin layer of corrosion) on its surface. But you can prevent that from happening! This article lists several helpful ways to keep your silver clean, tarnish-free, and shiny for years of display and use.

1

Dish soap

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Remove smudges and light buildup with gentle hand washing. Fill your sink or a plastic container with warm water and a few squirts of a mild, phosphate- and citrus-free dish soap. Rub the silver softly with a cellulose sponge or cotton ball/pad/swab—don’t scrub it forcefully. Rinse the item with warm water, then pat it dry right away with a soft cotton towel. As an optional finishing step, lightly buff the silver with a clean and dry cotton ball, pad, or swab.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Wear nitrile gloves and take off any rings/bracelets so you don’t accidentally scratch the silver with your fingernails or jewelry.
- Avoid detergents containing citrus to prevent spotting on silver.
- Hand wash silver by itself. Dishes and utensils can scratch silver.
- Don't put silver in the dishwasher! High temperatures and rough agitation can discolor and damage it.

2

Hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol

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Use this trick to remove light tarnish after washing and drying. Choose either a 70% rubbing alcohol (also called isopropyl alcohol) or an alcohol-based, fragrance-free, aloe-free, additive-free hand sanitizer. Apply a small amount to a cotton ball, pad, or swab. Rub the silver lightly, rinse off the alcohol or sanitizer with warm water, and dry the silver right away with a clean and soft cotton towel.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Washing silver with dish soap, then following up by cleaning it with hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol, is a surprisingly effective combination for removing light tarnish. You may find that you don’t need to do any polishing!
- If the silver isn’t used for food service, you can rinse off the alcohol or sanitizer by spraying on a plant-based window cleaner and then drying it. This might give your silver a little extra shine.

3

Silver polish

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Use a small amount of the least abrasive polish you can find. When dish soap and hand sanitizer won’t cut it, specially-formulated commercial silver polishes are a safe, effective option. Moisten a soft, silver-polishing cloth (or a cellulose sponge or cotton ball/pad/swab) with the polish and rub the silver lightly. Switch to a different section of the cloth or sponge when it starts to get dirty. Rinse the silver under running water and dry if off thoroughly with a soft, clean cotton cloth.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Some silver cleaning pros say you must polish only with back-and-forth motions, while others say you must use only small circular motions. You’ll have to decide for yourself which method to use. All the experts agree, though, that you must not scrub too hard—instead, rub lightly and let the polish do its job.
- Read the packaging carefully and buy a low-abrasion silver polish. You can also consult reputable rankings online or ask a silversmith or other expert.

4

Silver dip

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Try using it like polish instead of submerging your silver in it. Commercial silver “dips” use chemicals to dissolve tarnish quickly without having to rub the silver. That said, dips are very aggressive and can damage silver in some cases. Using the dip like a polish instead of actually “dipping” silver into it reduces this risk. To do this, lightly soak a cellulose sponge or cotton ball/pad/swab with the liquid. Apply it with gentle back-and-forth or circular motions, rinse off the silver thoroughly, and pat it dry.^{[4]XResearch source}
- If you decide to submerge the silver in the dip, pour the dip into a plastic container. Put the silver in the container, cover the container with a lid, and let the silver soak for the time specified in the instructions. Rinse the piece thoroughly with warm water since dip residue can eat away at the silver and cause pitting.
- Dips contain strong chemicals, so wear nitrile gloves and follow the safety instructions on the package.
- Never submerge objects that have sealed components, like candlesticks, trophies with hollow feet, or teapots with hollow handles, in silver dip. If the dip leaks into the cavity through small holes or imperfections, it's virtually impossible to wash the chemical out.

5

Vinegar and similar acids

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Experts disagree on DIY cleaners like vinegar, lemon juice, soda, and ketchup. Acidic cleaners such as these do remove tarnish, but some experts warn that repeated use of them may cause etching and dulling of the silver.^{[5]XResearch source} If you want to try this method, soak your silver item in vinegar, lemon juice or lemon-lime soda for 2-3 hours, then carefully rinse it, pat it dry, and lightly buff it with a cotton ball, pad, or swab. To use ketchup, pour the condiment into a bowl, submerge the silver item in it for 15 minutes, then rinse, dry, and buff the silver.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Acidic cleaners might be an option for items like jewelry that you wear frequently, but maybe not for high-value jewelry that you save for special occasions.

6

Toothpaste

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Use this polish option only on solid, less valuable silver. Silver cleaning experts usually recommend against polishing with toothpaste because it is too abrasive, especially on valuable pieces or silver-plated (not solid silver) items.^{[7]XResearch source} If you do choose to use toothpaste, make sure it’s a plain white toothpaste. Apply it to an old, soft toothbrush or a soft cloth, then lightly polish the silver using either back-and-forth or circular motions. Rinse the item and pat it dry immediately after.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Keep a close eye on the silver as you work. If you notice scratching at any point, stop and rinse the toothpaste off.

7

Cornstarch

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Cornstarch paste is abrasive like toothpaste, so use it carefully. Heed the same warning here as with toothpaste—this isn’t a good option for high-value silver or silver-plated items. To give it a try, mix cornstarch with just a few drops of water to create a toothpaste-like consistency. Apply the paste with a soft cloth or brush to reduce the abrasion somewhat, or with cheesecloth or a rougher towel to increase the abrasion further. Finish, as always, by immediately rinsing and patting the item dry.^{[9]XResearch source}
- You can substitute cream of tartar and get the same results.

8

Baking soda

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Try this only for heavy tarnish on low-value silver items. Baking soda is very abrasive and will remove stubborn tarnish, but do not use it unless you can accept the risk it carries of damaging the silver.^{[10]XResearch source} To give it a try on a piece of low-value silver, simply make a toothpaste-consistency mixture of baking soda and warm water. Apply the mixture to an old, soft toothbrush or soft cloth, polish the item gently, and rinse and pat it dry afterward.^{[11]XExpert SourceAlicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning SpecialistExpert Interview. 15 September 2020.}
- Baking soda takes off a layer of silver along with the tarnish, so it’s absolutely not recommended for high-value silver items, most especially if they are silver plated (a layer of silver over another metal).

9

Aluminum foil bath

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This method works fast but can really damage valuable silver. This one’s a bit like a high school science experiment! To clean low-value silver this way, start by lining a non-metal mixing bowl or baking dish with aluminum foil. Lay the silver item on top of the foil. Boil a pot of water and stir in several scoops of baking soda—enough that it takes at least 1 minute to dissolve completely with constant stirring. Slowly pour the hot mixture into the bowl or dish. Allow the silver to soak for several minutes, until the tarnish dissolves, then rinse it well and dry it completely.^{[12]XResearch source}
- Another variation of this technique uses 1 tbsp (15 g) of powdered laundry detergent instead of baking soda, but the results should be similar.^{[13]XResearch source}
- The mixture of chemicals and the contact between aluminum and silver create a galvanic reaction that dissolves tarnish. However, the reaction is hard to control and can quickly cause major damage to silver items (particularly any fine details).

10

Storage and scratch protection

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Treat your silver with care at all times to protect its appearance. Careful handling and storage reduce the risk of scratches and help limit tarnish buildup. When it’s time to store your silver, make sure the item is completely clean and dry first. Wrap it individually in acid-free tissue paper, anti-tarnish paper, or special flannel wraps made for this purpose. Seal one or a few wrapped silver pieces in an airtight plastic bag, and add a silica gel packet or a piece of plain white chalk to soak up tarnish-causing moisture.^{[14]XResearch source}
- Don’t put plastic wrap or a plastic bag directly in contact with silver.
- Never store silver where it can contact rubber, stainless steel, or paint.
- Don’t store sharp objects in a silver container or next to silver items.
- Don’t stack silver items directly on top of one another.
- Never toss or drop silver—into the sink, into a drawer, or anywhere else!
- Don’t cut anything on a silver platter, even with a dull knife.^{[15]XResearch source}

Expert Q&A

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Question
Can I clean silver with baking soda?
Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist
Alicia Sokolowski is a Green Cleaning Specialist and the President and co-CEO of AspenClean, a green cleaning company in Vancouver, British Columbia. With over 17 years of experience, Alicia specializes in creating a healthier, green alternative to chemical-based cleaning products and services. AspenClean develops and manufactures its own line of 100% Natural, EcoCert® certified, and EWG verified™ cleaning products. AspenClean’s glass cleaner was voted Parent’s Green Pick 2020 by readers of the Parents’ magazine. Alicia holds a CPA designation and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Finance from the University of Toronto.
Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist
Expert Answer
Yes. You can make a paste with baking soda and hot water. Use a ratio of 3-parts baking soda to 1-part water. Rub the paste on to the silver with a microfiber cloth, and use a toothbrush to scrub your silver. Wipe it dry to make it shine like new!
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Can I use rubbing alcohol to clean silver?
Community Answer
Yes. As with toothpaste, baking soda, white vinegar, and aluminum foil, rubbing alcohol is a common household item that may be used to clean silver. Alcohol works well on both silver jewelry and silver flatware.
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Can I use vinegar or 7-Up up to clean my silver earrings?
Community Answer
Yes, I tried it for mine and it worked great. Vinegar works best, but 7-up should also work.
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Tips

For sterling flatware, the best way to keep it beautiful is use it on a regular basis and gently wash and dry it immediately after each use. If it's not in storage for a long time, it won’t have a chance to tarnish deeply.
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In addition to taking off jewelry, consider wearing cotton gloves when handling silver items. Handle silver with bare hands only when using it for food service, and wear nitrile gloves when cleaning it.
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Many stores and catalogs that sell silver also sell anti-tarnish silver chests lined with treated felt, or just the anti-tarnish felt cloth itself. The treated cloth substantially slows the tarnishing process, but it won’t completely eliminate the need to polish your silver from time to time.
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Warnings

Do not use fine silver to serve food containing eggs or mayonnaise, which can tarnish silver quickly.
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Avoid wearing silver jewelry in swimming pools. The chlorine can damage the silver in a short time.
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