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Caring for Silver
by Jill Montwaur
http://www.faxsilver.com
The beautiful shine of silver gradually fades when the
surface becomes tarnished. That black film that covers
silver occurs when from a chemical from exposure everyday
elements. a moist humid atmosphere will tarnish the silver
quickly
All is not lost. You can easily keep tarnish from ruining
your silver. Your silver can bring you a lifetime of
enjoyment when it is properly cared for and maintained.
Silver scratches and pits easily. The best way to clean
your silver is with a non abrasive paste or liquid polish
cleaner. You can find silver polish cleaners in your
grocery store, hardware store, pharmacy or jewelry store.
You'll find two types of silver polish cleaner. One you
need to apply and let dry and remove with a cloth. The
other is applied than washed off. The one you wash off is
the least abrasive making it your best choice. Some silver
polish cleaners also provide anti-tarnish protection.
When polishing your silver, use a 100% cotton cloth
or ball. Other fabrics will cause scratching and pitting. A
good idea would be to wear cotton gloves while cleaning and
polishing so your fingerprints stay off of the silver.
Other types of cleaning methods exist. The most common is
Chemical Dips and Electrochemical. Chemical dip contains
acids and accelerates the tarnish removal. The corrosive
nature of acid can damage and pit your silver. You should
only use chemical dips for severely tarnish silver that
won't clean up with polish. The aluminum plate used in
electrochemical cleaning can also scratch and pit your
silver. It will also cause your silver to tarnish quicker.
Neither method is recommended.
A few simple tricks can reduce silver from tarnishing.
Store your silver individually inside polyethylene bags.
You can wrap your silver item with sulfur free archival
quality tissue. Guard your silver against moisture by
placing a small bag or container of desiccated silica gel
and activated charcoal in the bag. Anti Tarnish strips are
another alternative to silica gel and charcoal and they
guard against corrosion and absorb airborne pollutants that
cause tarnish.
Putting your silver in the dishwasher is a bad
idea. The harsh dish detergent and high hot water with
damage and scratch your silver. Wash your silver by hand
and remember to dry it with a 100% cotton towel or cloth,
Your silver brings priceless pleasure and enjoyment. Treat
it with the care it deserves and generations will enjoy its
beauty for many years.
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