How do I clean tarnished silverware/flatware to look new again?

Answer 1

Here is your solution with an explanation:
When silver tarnishes, it combines with sulfur and forms silver sulfide. Silver sulfide is black. When a thin coating of silver sulfide forms on the surface of silver, it darkens the silver. The silver can be returned to its former luster by removing the silver sulfide coating from the surface.

There are two ways to remove the coating of silver sulfide. One way is to remove the silver sulfide from the surface. The other is to reverse the chemical reaction and turn silver sulfide back into silver. In the first method, some silver is removed in the process of polishing. In the second, the silver remains in place. Polishes that contain an abrasive shine the silver by rubbing off the silver sulfide and some of the silver along with it. Another kind of tarnish remover dissolves the silver sulfide in a liquid. These polishes are used by dipping the silver into the liquid, or by rubbing the liquid on with a cloth and washing it off. These polishes also remove some of the silver.

If you have any objects made from silver or plated with silver, you know that the bright, shiny surface of silver gradually darkens and becomes less shiny. This happens because silver undergoes a chemical reaction with sulfur-containing substances in the air. You can use chemistry to reverse the tarnishing reaction, and make the silver shiny again.

Line the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil. Set the silver object on top of the aluminum foil. Make sure the silver touches the aluminum.

Heat the water to boiling. Remove it from the heat and place it in a sink. To the hot water, add about one cup of baking soda for each gallon of water. (If you need only half a gallon of water, use half a cup of baking soda.) The mixture will froth a bit and may spill over; this is why you put it in the sink.

Pour the hot baking soda and water mixture into the pan, and completely cover the silver.


Almost immediately, the tarnish will begin to disappear. If the silver is only lightly tarnished, all of the tarnish will disappear within several minutes. If the silver is badly tarnished, you may need to reheat the baking soda and water mixture, and give the silver several treatments to remove all of the tarnish.

Answer 2

The method described by Kolohe needs just a little further information. First, be certain to dry the items cleaned thoroughly or you will have water spots that will almost immediately tarnish. Do not allow the items to air dry, but use a micro-fiber or highly absorbent cloth. Second, although this method does remove tarnish it does not prevent it from re-occurring so if you don't want to repeat this process anytime soon, you will need to use a tarnish preventative like Tarnish Guard by Tarnex which guarantees that tarnish will not return for one year.

Answer 3

Buy a good silver cleaner. Using a soft cloth put some of the cleaner on the cloth and then rub till you see item start to look shiny. Then wash in soapy water and dry very well.

Answer 4

The easiest solution is to put it in the dishwaser... No kidding! Just make sure you use liquid soap and not powder so as not to scratch the flatware...

Otherwise, you don't have much choice but to polish it with silver cleaner....

Answer 5

you can buy a cleaner at the store but until then try white toothpaste or you can try baking soda and hot water

Answer 6

Wright's silver cream.