Caring for Silver
by Jill Montwaur
http://www.faxsilver.com
Silver is a beautiful metal that out shines most
jewelry any day. But sadly it easily develops a black
tarnish. When silver is exposed to the outside a chemical
reaction occurs causing the unsightly tarnish. The more
moist the climate, the faster it tarnishes.
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.
Clean your silver with a product made for silver cleaning.
You easily find a silver polish cleaner in your local
grocery or pharmacy store. Silver scratches easily.Less
abrasive the silver cleaner the better. Look for a silver
polish that washes off instead one the dries and buffs off.
You can non abrasive cleaners with 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 silver cleaning methods exist but aren't
recommend. Chemical dips and Electrochemical cleaning can
damage your silver with scratches and pitting. The chemical
dip is only recommended for severely tarnished silver that
won't clean with a polish.
Try these simple tips to reduce silver tarnish. Store each
silver item individually inside a polyethylene bag. Extra
protection, wrap them in sulfur free archive tissue. Absorb
moisture and harmful pollutants by placing bagged silica
gel and active charcoal or Anti Tarnish strips with the
stored silver.
A big No No is cleaning your silver in the dishwasher. The
hard detergent and extreme hot water will damage your
silver with scratches and pitting. Hand wash your silver
and dry with a 100% cotton dish towel.
Remember... give your silver regular care and you'll have
those heirloom treasure for future generations to enjoy.
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