The cleaning of antique Silver is very important. But the primary rule to always remember is NO ABRASIVES.

There are commercial polishes on the market that are fine for use on Silver and there are others, which are not recommended. An easy rule of thumb is not to use any polish that states it is for a variety of metals. Brass and copper are not silver and a polish made only for silver should be used on silver. Some of these polishes state on the labels that they are non-abrasive.

The cloth used in applying polish is important. 100% cotton should be used. Man-made fibers (rayon, Dacron, polyester) are abrasive.

Tooth brushes, nail brushes, any brushes are abrasive and should never be used on Silver, just as steel wool and scouring pads are horribly abrasive and should never be used. Remember that the reason Silver should not be put in a dishwasher is not the temperature of the water, the dishwashing detergent is abrasive.

Silver flatware should be cleaned immediately after it has been used, especially if you have eaten eggs, anything with a tomato base or vinegar. These three common foods turn flatware black. But do not use a "dip" solution, polish it with a Silver paste polish and be sure it is well rinsed with lots of hot water.

Constant exposure to the air will tarnish Silver over time. However, if on a regular basis, it is cleaned with a very mild soap and lots of hot water it will not need to be polished more than a few times a year. But be careful that after cleaning Silver it is completely dry before putting it on a good hard wood surface. Any object with a hollow stem, such are candlesticks, will inevitably get some water up in the stem. After drying the object, shake it and then check the underside for little drops of water and dry it again. To be safe set the object on a dry cloth overnight to be sure there is no moisture left before placing it back on a good table. This will avoid water spots and damage to the table.

Storing Silver should be in a cloth bag away from direct air or even a plastic bag with all the air squeezed out and then securely closed. There are supply companies that manufacture these items and make them available to you.

DO USE: DON'T USE: 100% Cotton Cloths Silver paste Hot water Abrasives Brushes

If you have some tricks that have worked for you, let us know. We will try them out and let you know what we think.

A great trick, which a collector told us about, is to preheat the oven to about 250 degrees. After cleaning the silver, place it in the oven for a couple of minutes (be sure to use an oven mitt when taking the object out of the oven since silver conducts heat). This makes sure that all moisture has evaporated before the object is either put back on display or stored. We have tried this and it works!