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ClassicSilver.com
Silver Care
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The following silver care information is copyright by Jeffrey Herman,
http://www.silversmithing.com/silver. This information can not be published
separately, in hard copy, or electronically, without the expressed written
permission of Jeffrey Herman.
Silver, when properly
maintained, will yield generations of enjoyment. The following
cleaning instructions have been tried and proven in the silver
restoration & conservation studio of Jeffrey Herman. These
instructions are for those individuals who are maintaining the
vast majority of antique and new silver (fine silver, coin,
sterling, Britannia, and other alloys) in the world. Solid gold
is generally cared for in the same way as
silver. Objects that are silverplated or goldplated over precious
metal or basemetal must also be cleaned with the same care as
solid metals. Museum conservators generally clean silver and
gold in their collections by using a calcium carbonate/denatured
alcohol mixture which will not be discussed here, for most individuals
would prefer not to spend hours cleaning a teapot! Also, the
more technical aspects of silver care have been kept to a minimum
and are more appropriate for a general audience.
Silver is tarnished by sulfur-containing materials, particularly
hydrogen sulfide (H2S). The most common tarnish-causing elements
are wool, felt, food (eggs, onions), fossil fuels, rubber bands,
latex gloves, carpet padding, and certain paints. Tarnish is
accelerated in a humid environment. Oily salts from our fingers
may, if not removed, show up as corrosion patterns that may
have to be professionally removed.
If there is no tarnish present on your silver, use a phosphate-free
detergent to clean it after use. Silver that is used, then gently
washed and dried immediately, will require seldom tarnish removal.
Tarnish is easily removed when first noticed (usually a yellowish
tint), and will become increasingly difficult to deal with as
it turns to light brown and eventually black. Frequent light
cleanings, (washing the object with a phosphate-free detergent
may be all you’ll need) are preferred to waiting until
the tarnish gets so stubborn that more abrasive polishes would
have to be employed.
The
polishes and cleaners listed here can be found in your local
hardware store, department store, pharmacy, or listed distributors.
3M's Tarni-Shield™ Silver Polish and Twinkle® Silver
Polish are by far the least abrasive of the commercial cleaners,
and Tarni-Shield™ has a much more effective tarnish barrier
than Twinkle. Goddard’s™ Long Shine Silver Polish
and Silver Wash, and Wright's® Anti-Tarnish Silver Polish
and Silver Cream (this product offers no tarnish protection)
are all recommended in removing heavier tarnish and residue.
Use Wright's® Silver Cream to remove stains on steel knife
blades. If the choice is between a polish that protects better
but is more abrasive, and one that does not protect as well
but is far less abrasive, go with the less abrasive polish.
Polishes that are meant to be washed off are less abrasive because
they use a liquid to suspend the polishing ingredients.
Don’t use polishes that have dried-up; the abrasive particles
are now much too concentrated and will harm your silver. Never
use steel wool (too abrasive and rust may result if not fully
rinsed from the interior of an abject), Scotch-Brite™ and
scouring pads (too abrasive), or dips.
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You
may have noticed after cleaning your silver, that a purplish
stain remained. This stain, or oxidized copper, is called firestain,
and can be found on many colonial through nineteenth century
pieces. It is not generally seen on pieces that have been produced
by the large silver companies after the 1800s, though, many
one-man silversmithing shops still use this technique. This
depletion process leaves the object with a pure silver surface
which is more resistant to tarnishing. The stain develops in
sterling and coin silver when oxygen penetrates the outer surface
of the object during brazing, oxidizing the copper content.
Fine silver is left on the surface when acid chemically removes
the oxidized copper, though, copper may be oxidized below the
surface. These pieces will show this stain after many years
of polishing.
Do not mistake this stain for tarnish! Attempting to remove
it will only damage your prized piece.
Use
this technique if you are polishing an object WITH porous attachments:
Wooden handles & finials, ivory insulators, felt used on
the bottoms of candlesticks and compotes can become damaged
when introduced to excess moisture. Also, hollow areas that
will not dry (beaded rims, handle sockets with minute holes,
etc.) or if there is no source of water, use Goddard’s™
Long Shine Silver Polish. Of the polishes listed above, this
is the only one that is meant to be allowed to dry and buffed
off. Always use 3M's Tarni-Shield™ if you can avoid introducing
moisture to porous attachments or hollow areas. Use a large
cotton ball with a small amount of polish and rotate the cleaning
surface regularly to expose unused surfaces, for elements in
the tarnish can be very abrasive. Rub the object in a straight,
back-an-forth manner so to maintain a uniform appearance. Avoid
rubbing in a circular motion. Let the polish dry and remove
it with a Selvyt™ cloth (preferred) or cotton dish towel.
Selvyt™ is a lint-free, untreated, 100% cotton wiping cloth
which is also excellent for highlighting ornament. Always use
the smallest amount of polish necessary.
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A
dry horsehair brush can be used to remove dried polish and grime
from crevices and ornament on previously polished pieces before
repolishing. A wet brush is preferred which will soften the
bristles and aid in lifting the polish from the object's surface
with minimal abrasion. When used wet, the bristles alone will
not scratch the silver. A wet toothpick will get into the smallest
areas.
Use this technique if you are polishing an object WITHOUT
porous attachments:
If you are cleaning a piece with no porous attachments, apply
Tarni-Shield™, Twinkle®, Goddard’s™ Silver
Wash, Wright's® Anti-Tarnish Silver Polish or Wright's®
Silver Cream with a moist cellulose sponge. If you feel it necessary
to protect your hands from moisture, use nitrile gloves which
contain no ingredients to tarnish silver. Rub the object in
a straight, back-an-forth manner so to maintain a uniform appearance.
Avoid rubbing in a circular motion. Rinse the sponge regularly,
for elements in the tarnish can be very abrasive. Flattened
cotton swab heads with very little silver polish applied are
excellent for cleaning between fork tines. The swab will last
longer if you run it parallel within each opening.
Dried polish can be removed by patting the area with a warm,
wet cotton ball or a wet horsehair brush. Rinse the object with
warm water then dry with a Selvyt™ cloth or cotton dish
towel immediately to avoid spotting.
Use a rouge cloth to restore the original luster to silver and
gold which has been dulled by heavy tarnish. Unlike the Selvyt™
cloth which is untreated, the rouge cloth contains a polishing
agent, normally rouge. I advise using untreated, heavyweight
cotton inspection gloves to avoid finger prints when cleaning
and storing your freshly cleaned objects. After dinner, if you
prefer not to apply a tarnish protectant, wash all utensils
by hand with a dishwashing detergent and warm water then dry
immediately with a Selvyt™ cloth or cotton dish towel.
Do not allow silver to come in contact with a metal sink, as
the sink itself can scratch, especially if it’s been heavily
abraded over time. And, do not allow food to remain on your
flatware for extended periods; some foods contain ingredients
that may cause stains, tarnish, or corrosion.
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