Silver is considered one of the precious metals, next to gold. This precious metal is not only known for its lustrous surface, but is also known for its malleable properties. These properties facilitate in creating artistic materials such as jewelry, dinnerware, showpieces, and more.
However, prolonged exposure to air makes the metal surface to lose its luster. This process is called tarnishing. First, the white luster on the metal turns yellow, and gradually the tarnish develops and makes the surface of the metal look dull and dark.
The scientific reason behind the formation of tarnish is the chemical reaction between the metal’s surface and the chemicals present in the air. When the silver is exposed to sulfur, silver sulfide is formed that is dark in color.
General Ways to Remove Tarnish
Many people take their silverware to professionals who polish the metal. There are many polishing products also available in the market today. However, in the process of polishing, a layer of the metal is also removed.
So, the simplest way to restore the luster on the metal without removing the topmost layer is to reverse the chemical reaction. Across the globe, people generally use simple methods that involve use of household items, such as baking soda, ammonia, vinegar and aluminum.
Apart from using the simple methods to clean silver, simple tips also have to be kept in mind, in order to maintain it.
Few Tips on Maintaining the Silverware:
- Toothpaste can be used as quick anti-tarnishing material. Apply a small amount of toothpaste on a damp cloth. Now, rub this cloth on the item in upward and downward motion. Rinse and pat it dry with a soft dry cloth. This will remove the tarnish on the metal.
- Cigarette ash is also considered as one of the best anti-tarnishing agents. The gentle ash works similar to toothpaste.
- Avoid polishing the silverware with silver polish more than once or twice a year because silver items erode with frequent polishing. In addition, avoid wearing latex gloves when handling, cleaning or polishing silver.
- Remove all the silver polish from the item, especially dinnerware, before using it, because the polish leaves a bad taste.
- Placing a white chalk in the storage area along with the silver item will also help in preventing formation of tarnish.
- Do not place the silverware in the same container as stainless steel, because when silver comes in contact with other metal, it easily stains and corrodes.
- Avoid overexposure of the metal to any sulfur-producing substances such as eggs, mustard, and rubber.
- The corrosion caused by food can be removed by placing the silver item in a mixture of two cups of vinegar to one tablespoon of salt. Allow the silver to soak for up to five minutes, rinse and pat dry with dry soft cloth.
Easy Alternative:
Ultimately, the cheapest methods to maintain silverware is to anti-tarnish them using a tarnish-preventative cloth or duster and then place them in an anti-tarnish container or cloth that can neutralize the airborne sulfur. Alternatively, an anti-tarnish strip can be placed along with the tarnish-free silverware in an enclosed chamber. These strips can absorb the sulfides from the environment for nearly four to six months.
Jayashree (Hegde) Adkoli - Jayashree (Hegde) Adkoli is a freelance writer covering science and technology topics such as VoIP, IP communications, contact centers, ...
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