Eric D. Ronning

How to Clean Sterling Silver

Cleaning sterling silver can be a tricky business. I tackled this research while I was working on the How to Clean Pearls, and where cleaning pearls is relatively easy, cleaning silver is more complicated. I asked my mother if I could practice cleaning sterling silver on her antique flatware. The only problem, I asked just after she finished reading the anecdote in the pearls article where I mention an incident from my youth when I dissolved my best friend's mother's pearls in Coke. Sad to say, her answer was no.

However, after speaking to my wife on the matter, I discovered that we had been bequeathed a sterling silver butter knife. Not an ideal candidate, but it worked for what I was trying to accomplish. I did, of course, ask why we only had one butter knife. She informed me that her great-grandmother had 103 beneficiaries (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren) listed in her will. Thus, the lone butter knife we have in our possession. For the record, the butter knife not only survived the research process, but is much cleaner for it, Mother.

Tips for Cleaning Sterling Silver and Keeping it Clean

The best way to keep your silver clean is prevention. Cleaning silver, sterling or otherwise, can be a mite tricky. The slightest touch of a hand can cause tarnish from the oils in your skin. Be certain to wipe off your silver with a clean, lint-free cloth after every use. Only wash your silver flatware in warm, soapy water, rinse thoroughly, and towel dry with a soft towel. But honestly, the biggest cause of tarnish build up is time, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. All you can do is clean your silver as frequently as possible. That's where I come in.

There is a safe, easy alternative to commercial silver polish. It's relatively inexpensive, available just about everywhere (except maybe a bookstore), and just about every home in the United States has it on hand: toothpaste. Baking soda is a good alternative if you don't feel up to toothpaste. Here's what you will need: a clean work space, free of children and pets; two clean plates or two clean towels; several soft, clean, lint-free cloths; a sink; a tube of toothpaste or a box of baking soda; a bowl (though only if you're using baking soda in lieu of toothpaste); and a soft-bristled toothbrush.

Take your baking soda and pour some into the bowl. You won't need more than a heaping tablespoon. Slowly add water and mix until you get a consistency resembling toothpaste. Be sure to mix thoroughly so there are no giant clumps of baking soda. If you are using toothpaste, go ahead and move on to the next step.

Place a dab of your baking soda mix or toothpaste on the silver. Use a cloth to spread the paste so that it covers every inch of your silver. If you have particularly bad tarnish or the item has hard-to-reach areas (such as joints or hollows), use the toothbrush to gently rub the paste into those areas. Once the entire item is covered in the paste, place it on one of your clean dishes or towels and repeat with the rest of your silver.

Once you have cleaned all your silver, rinse them off, starting with the first piece. You'll want to use warm water and be certain to remove every bit of the paste you added. Once again, you can use the toothbrush to assist you, but be sure it is thoroughly rinsed first. After you have rinsed off the paste, use a soft towel to gently dry the silver completely. Any droplets left to air-dry may cause unsightly spotting, which ultimately defeats the purpose of cleaning the sterling silver in the first place.

A few important things. Do not attempt to clean other types of jewelry in this manner! This is a method specifically meant for sterling silver. If your silver is a piece of jewelry, take care to work around any stones (particularly the porous kind, such as turquoise), and do your best not to get them wet. Pearls can be cleaned in this manner, but be sure to read the "How to Clean Pearls" article [link] for special considerations. This can be a slow, tedious process, but it is the safest way to keep your silver clean without causing irreparable damage.

Another Way to Clean Sterling Silver

For heavily tarnished pieces of sterling silver, there is something called an electrolytic cleaning process. Here's what you will need: ¼ cup of baking soda; ¼ cup of salt; ¼ cup of liquid dish soap (Seventh Generation makes a heck of a dish soap, and it's environmentally friendly); a half gallon of water; large pot (an old spaghetti pot or some such); aluminum foil; a long handled plastic or rubber spoon; a stove; a colander; and a towel.

  1. Take your pot and line it with the aluminum foil with the shiny side up. Be certain to cover all the sides and bottom entirely.
  2. Add the water, baking soda, salt, and soap. Mix thoroughly with the plastic spoon.
  3. Count the silver items you are going to clean to make sure you take out the same number as you put in. Place them in the pot.
  4. Place the pot on the stove and turn the heat on low. Bring to a boil for a few moments. Turn off the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
  5. Drain the solution with the colander and rinse with cold water. NOTE: It is imperative to remove all the salt from your silver or it will—very literally—eat your silver over time.
  6. As you lay the items out to dry on the towel, be sure to account for all your silver items. Throw away the aluminum foil.

The tarnish on your silver will transfer to the aluminum foil during this process, making your sterling silver look good as new. This is a process that should be used only on silver objects, not silver-plated or items that feature set stones and the like, as it can damage porous stones and make other stones look cloudy.