cleaning silver

Hi all i am Pete, I have just had a few silver items given to me. Some old English items and a few from the early 1930s from Japan. Whats the best way to clean them?

 

I'm old-fashioned, I use silver-foam, but a lot of people swear by that aluminium thing with the hot water and the baking-soda or whatever it is. Look it up on YouTube.

 

I use a pot of dip I get from the jeweller, It saves rubbing the item because with every rub you take off a minute layer of the silver, I finish with Goddard's silver polish.

Where it isn't possible to immerse the item I just use the Goddard's or Silvo wadding.

 

These are all methods I have used, all benefit from a finish with a silver cloth, in my opinion. I use the hot water, aluminium and washing soda mainly for any silverplate pieces where I do not want to spend much time on them.

The good news is that with the virtual abolition of coal fires in homes, the amount of sulfur compounds in the air has dropped dramatically, and they are the main culprits with tatnished silver, so one good clean should last a long time, weekly attention from the butler has gone the way of butlers.

 

Thanks guys I will look into it. A complete novice here.

 

Some of the Japanese items are also timber, like this.
http://www.silverscreenautographs.co.uk/silver/

 

This link is to Jeff Herman's advice on silver care, he is a respected silversmith, restorer, and conservator:

http://www.hermansilver.com/care.htm#Update

~Cheryl

 

I did not read all of Cheryl's link, but it appears to be a good one.

DO NOT use the aluminum soak. It is not good for antique silver. It is a type of reverse electrolysis and takes a layer of silver off.

Old silver plate can sometimes be polished off.

There are different methods for different items.
Creams or liquids followed by a sudsy wash are your best.
A soft cloth, not an old t-shirt, something that won't scratch.

Can you post pictures of your items so we have a better idea of what you are dealing with.

 

Thanks Cheryl interesting reading.

 

Here is a link to some of the pieces on my photo website under silver.

http://www.silverscreenautographs.co.uk/silver/

 

Microfibre cloths work remarkably well. A Sunshine cloth on small things is good. I like Silver Foam, NEVER dip and I don't like the electrolysis method over much.

 

Hi,
I think i have cleaned more silver than all of you together. I LOVE polishing silver. I always wash it in hot water soapy water and then use a silver cream, rinse and then dry. I never have tried the ammonia soak and tin foil. I have used the dreaded not to be used Tarne-X on pieces that have been so black that polish does not work on. Just remember to polish it when clean like all the other silver. Never ever use it on regular tarnished silver. It has worked on silver that was in a fire and then buried in debris for months that a company wanted hundreds of dollars to restore. Two bottles of Tarne-X and a tub of regular cream polish, took 12 dollars and a few hours of work but it was beautiful when done.
greg

 

Hi,
My favorite piece of silver was a huge 7ft high sterling and plate church lamp 250 years old. Taking it down and polishing it and rehanging it took three weeks of work but spectacular when done. It had a 125lb counterweight 100 ft high.
greg

 

Thanks to you all I will make sure I get the right gear before I start.

 

I think I'll start with muriatic acid

 

Hi Terry,
Those are easy. I show you some that were black and unreadable, they were hard. Send them to me I'll shine them up and send them back.
greg

 

WOW....I do not think I ever met someone who loves to polish silver

Greg..you are unusual!!!!

 

I do not really mind polishing my own silver as it is a way of playing with real money (how childish is that?) and my partner's father, who is over 90, likes polishing silver as well. It may be something very old people like.

 

I, too, don't mind polishing silver. It's brass that I HATE to polish!

 

I must be a freak. I love polishing silver AND brass