One of the world's leading dealers
in antique silver and jewelry
Regular Silver Polishing:
Silver tarnishes when it reacts with sulfur in the air, forming a thin layer of silver sulfide. This layer is easily removed even through handling. In fact, regular use will tend to keep your silver clean. Items that are not used may have to be cleaned two or three times a year, but much depends on local conditions.
For regular polishing we recommend Goddard’s Silver Foam which can be found at most hardware stores or on the internet. Goddard’s is a mild pink paste that lathers-up when used and does not have the abrasives found in some other polishes. It comes with a sponge, but a soft cotton fabric, such as an old t-shirt, works equally well. Wet the sponge, wipe the piece all over with a small amount of polish, rinse well to remove any residue, and then dry.
Using just a little polish will prevent polish build-up – dry white polish that cakes in the decoration of a piece. This build-up can be removed using a Q-Tip when the polish is wet or a soft nylon bristle brush when it is dry. Care must be taken not to scrub too enthusiastically because the silver may scratch. An old tooth brush with soft bristles works well. Never use an abrasive material like steel wool.
Most modern polishes, including Goddard’s, contain a tarnish preventative – a safe, non-toxic additive that slows down the tarnishing process.
The goal in cleaning a piece of silver is not to remove every trace of tarnish. Darkened areas around decoration highlight it and enhance a piece’s beauty.
Silver Dip:
Silver dip is a liquid chemical cleaner which, like polish, is available at many hardware stores or on the internet. Silver dip may be used on silver that is really black with tarnish or which has inaccessible areas that can’t be reached with a sponge. If only a small area needs cleaning, try silver dip on a Q-Tip or tooth brush. Larger pieces can be cleaned using a sponge, using gloves to protect your hands. They can also be immersed in dip in a plastic basin – be sure to use one with a tight fitting cover because dip smells! Dip can be quite harsh, so rinse the object thoroughly after cleaning, and do not immerse objects with closed internal cavities - such as filled candlesticks - because it is impossible to rinse all of the dip out. Take care not to get dip on non-silver elements such as wood or ivory handles. Once the silver is clean it may have a dull white surface residue, which can be removed with regular silver polish.
For those that are interested, the active ingredient in silver dip is thiourea, a sulfur “scavenger” which draws the sulfur out of the silver, basically reversing the tarnishing process. Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, dip often contains acids that speed up the cleaning process and thiourea continues to act even after the sulfur is gone, both of which may “strip” the surface and eventually cause pitting. So use the dip quickly and rinse very thoroughly. It should not be used for regular cleaning.
Silver Mitts:
We use silver cleaning mitts quite regularly at our shop because they remove both tarnish and finger prints. They can be found at most hardware stores or on the internet.
Other Cleaning Techniques: No, No, No!
Tooth paste is often touted as an effective silver polish but is much too abrasive. Steel wool and scouring pads are even worse! Electrochemical cleaning, which makes use of an aluminum pan and an electrolyte (baking soda), operates like silver-plating in reverse, stripping the surface. By using these techniques you run the risk of damaging your silver. We recommend the old tried and true methods.
Cleaning Silver-Gilt:
Gold is inert and doesn’t tarnish, so silver objects covered with a thin coating of gold, called “silver-gilt” or “vermeille”, theoretically shouldn’t tarnish. However, even a new layer of gilding is somewhat porous, and most old gilding has thinned over the years, so gilt items do sometimes tarnish. Try soap (or a phosphate-free detergent) and water first, but if that doesn’t work, just use regular silver polish. Honest, it won’t hurt!
Cleaning Items with Wood and Ivory:
Densely grained fruit wood is a common material for handles and finials because the tight grain resists water damage. However, water trapped in a handle socket will eventually cause the wood to deteriorate; for this reason, many handles have been replaced over the years. Waxing the wood periodically and ensuring that handle sockets dry out properly after cleaning will prolong the life of wood elements.
Ivory is not affected by water, but is susceptible to cracking in the hot, dry surroundings created by central heating. We don’t clean our ivory, but a little soap and water won’t hurt.
Removing Candle Wax:
Antique candlesticks often have a little removable cup, called a bobeche, that fits into the nozzle and catches dripping wax. Glass bobeches are also available. However, wax that gets past these barriers is easily melted off under hot water or with a hair dryer using paper towels to remove the softened wax. Do not use this technique on candlesticks that are filled because the heat will cause the filler to expand and split the silver. Alternately, try chipping the wax off with your fingernail (never use a knife) once it has been frozen in the freezer!
Cleaning Flatware:
Forks and spoons are made of solid silver and can be put in the dishwasher from time to time. However, most detergents are quite harsh and will eventually leave the surface of your silver (and your fine crystal too) matte and dull. If you must use the dishwasher, put it on a “delicate” or “china” cycle, use a rinse agent to stop spotting, remove the silver immediately after the last rinse cycle and dry by hand. In addition, don’t mix stainless steel and silver in the same load – if they touch, an electrolytic reaction between the two metals may spot the silver and will cause the stainless steel to pit. In the long run hand washing is the best.
Certain foods containing sulfur or acid react with the silver or copper in sterling silver and turn it black. These foods these include fruit, eggs, salad dressing, salt, olives, onions and mayonnaise. While unattractive, this is not harmful either to the silver or to you, and just needs regular cleaning. Special utensils, such as egg spoons, which are designed specifically for these types of food, are often gilt to prevent this problem.
Knives are a separate issue because they have two parts – a steel blade and a hollow handle – and because antique knives are made differently from modern ones. Antique knives were made with carbon steel blades which will rust if they are not kept dry. The blades can be cleaned with a mild abrasive (cork is traditionally used in England); and some suggest a light coating of mineral oil to prevent rusting. Most of these old blades have been replaced with new ones made of stainless steel, a surface treatment invented for the lining of steel cannons in WWI!
Antique silver knife handles are filled with pitch (which is like Plaster of Paris) to hold the blade in place. No antique knife should ever be put in the dishwasher because the heat causes the pitch to expand and split the handle.
Modern knives have a stainless steel blade that is soldered on to a hollow silver handle, and so are safer in the dishwasher. Even so, an electrolytic reaction between these two metals can damage the joint.
Salt:
Salt is corrosive to silver and will eventually cause black spots and pitting if left undisturbed. Salt cellars often have gilt interiors or glass liners to prevent this problem. Be sure to clean underneath the the glass liners from time to time because salt can build up there.
A Little Assembly Required:
Silver objects that have several parts or are part of a set can be difficult to reassemble after cleaning. Their hand-made parts are all slightly different and therefore not interchangeable. In such cases the parts are usually numbered. For instance, an epergne or centerpiece will always have its branches and their corresponding slots numbered using a system of dots or lines. Similarly, a set of entree dishes will have a number stamped on the rim of the base, the cover and the handle of each dish.
Keeping it Clean While On Display:
Tarnish is caused by sulfur in the air: remove the sulfur and the problem disappears. Recognizing that a vacuum-sealed case is not all that practical, we recommend a simple closed glass display case. This reduces air flow and slows down the tarnishing process noticeably. In addition, anti-tarnish strips are available from 3-M and Hagerty which absorb the sulfur already in the case and reduce the problem further.
Lacquering:
In general we stay away from lacquering, but it is another way to keep silver clean while on display. Lacquer is a transparent organic material that is brushed or sprayed onto silver, forming a barrier that eliminates tarnishing. When done properly it does not hurt the silver, and it is often used by museums to preserve their collections. However, lacquering does have a number of drawbacks. It can only be used on display pieces – not on pieces used for dining - because it is rather delicate and deteriorates with contact to water. It also tends to break down over time, with dark lines appearing where the air has penetrated, and so will need to be redone every few years. It is difficult to apply and must be done professionally. Perhaps most importantly, the lacquer coating dulls the lovely shine of a piece of silver. In an attempt to reduce this problem, silver is sometimes buffed up bright before lacquering, which ruins the silver’s patina and value.
Patina:
The word “patina” refers to the soft, velvety appearance of the surface of an older piece of silver. It develops over time and consists of a web of tiny nicks, scratches and bumps that result from normal use. These small surface imperfections help diffuse silver’s reflections, giving it a mellow glow. A really bright or mirror-like surface is not desirable.
Storage:
Silver is best stored in flannel bags made specifically for that purpose. Tissue should only be used if it is acid free. Once wrapped, silver can be placed in a zip-lock bag to eliminate air flow and tarnishing. These are made of polyethylene plastic which is safe for silver.
Pacific silver-cloth is excellent for storage or for lining drawers and cupboards. It is impregnated with minute silver particles that absorb sulfur and so reduce tarnishing. However it does loose its efficacy over time and must be replaced.
RUBBER AND CERTAIN PLASTICS (such as PVC) ARE TERRIBLE FOR SILVER. Never wrap silver (or other metals) with rubber bands or plastic wrap. These materials attack the surface, first leaving black discoloration and then deeply etched lines. Newspaper and cardboard boxes should also be avoided for long term storage because they contain acids.
Heat:
Heat will not usually damage silver: kettles and dish crosses are designed with oil burners that can, and should, be used. However, items that are “loaded” – i.e. filled with pitch for weight – will split if heated. In addition, Old Sheffield Plate does not take heat well; we know of an Old Sheffield Plate tea tray that fell apart when put in a warming oven!
Glass Liners:
Liners made of deep blue glass were popular during the Georgian period for mustard pots and pierced salt cellars. Unfortunately, we do not know of anyone who makes replacements here in the US. They do make them in England, so if you give us a call we can usually help.
Silver-Plate and Old Sheffield Plate:
These should be cleaned in the same way as sterling silver. Some base metal will inevitably show through over time. This is called “bleeding” and is normal. Only consider having items re-plated if a lot of base metal shows.
References:
The Care of Silver by Jeffrey Herman, 2000. See his website: www.silversmithing.com. A helpful discussion along with a full list of resources.
How to Care for Silver on the Canadian Conservation Institute website: www.cci-icc.gc.ca