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- How to Clean and Restore Silver
- Silver is a precious metal that’s used for functional and decorative purposes. Common uses are as serving dishes, flatware and jewelry, anywhere that you wish to set a display of elegance and luxury. Silver requires considerable maintenance, however. It is prone to a blackening process known as tarnishing. Due to oxidization and moisture, silver will first dull, appearing dirty no matter how often it's cleaned; this is soon followed by a growing black shading across the surface, the tarnish. Cleaning silver regularly helps to reduce the tarnishing effect.
- Instructions
- Things You'll Need:
- Soft cotton or flannel cloth
- Phosphate-free detergent
- Baking soda
- Toothbrush
- Silver polish
- Plastic or cotton gloves
- Get what you need for every project at HomeDepot.com
- 1 Remove any loose dirt or debris from the silver using a soft cotton or flannel cloth. Wipe the silver in straight lines, rubbing it gently to prevent scratches from forming on the surface from the dirt removal.
- 2 Wash difficult to remove dirt off in warm water using a phosphate-free detergent.
- 3 Remove light tarnishing with baking soda. Mix baking soda with water until you have the same consistency of toothpaste. Coat the silver with the paste.
- 4 Rub the paste into the silver to clean the metal, using a soft cloth. Use a toothbrush if the lines in your silver are deep. Rinse the metal with lukewarm water and then polish it dry with another clean soft cloth.
- 5 Use a non-abrasive, non-ammonia based silver polish to remove heavier tarnishing. Wear plastic or cotton gloves during the polishing process to avoid leaving fingerprints on the silver. Place a small circle of polish onto the center of the silver surface and spread it with a soft cloth. Wait about 30 seconds for the polish to dry and then buff the silver clean using back and forth motions to remove the tarnish and restore the shine.
- By Larry Simmons, eHow Contributor
http://www.ehow.com/