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Cleaning Silver

TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-909 -- More Projects »
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Store silver pieces in acid-free tissue paper, or place in a tarnish-proof bag. Never store pieces in plastic.
TIPical Mary Ellen host Mary Ellen Pinkham provides her expertise on this household chore.

  • Use your silver daily to prevent tarnishing and save polishing time.

  • Silver cutlery can be washed in the dishwasher, but not with stainless-steel pieces. Stainless steel will damage real silver.
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  • Make your own silver-polishing paste with a mixture of salt and lemon juice (figure A).

  • Wear gloves when polishing and putting away silver to avoid finger marks.
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  • Make your own silver cleaning solution with a combination of 1/2 cup ammonia, 1/8 cup liquid silver polish and one cup water. Use the solution to clean embossed silver by applying polish with a soft-bristled toothbrush (figure B) or cotton swab.

  • To prevent the inside of a silver coffeepot from smelling stale, keep a couple of white sugar cubes inside while in storage.
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  • A great way to clean silver is to first cover the bottom of a plastic tub with aluminum foil, then dissolve two tablespoons of fabric softener and two tablespoons salt in about a quart of hot water. Next, place tarnished silver in the sink (figure C). Plated silver will immediately come clean, but solid silver will take a little longer. Buff with a soft cloth.
    • Also in this Episode
    TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-909
    •International Soup Party
    •Adorning Denims
    •Cleaning Silver
    •Tip of the Day
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