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What is the best way to clean large amounts of sterling silverware?

I have a large quantity of sterling silverware, left to me from my mother. What is the easiest way to clean the tarnish from them?

You will need the following:-

* a pan or dish large enough to completely immerse the silver in
* aluminum foil to cover the bottom of the pan
* enough water to fill the pan
* a vessel in which to heat the water
* hot pads or kitchen mitts with which to handle the heated water vessel
* baking soda, about 1 cup per gallon of water

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.

2007-08-12 06:24:15 by Qusan | Posted in Cleaning & Laundry

How can you make new Sterling Silverware look older (used or tarnish looking)?

I want to make my new Sterling Silverware look older, how can I do that?

Hydrogen Peroxide is often used on silver to give it an aged look that will even fool the experts. Thats because it contains the very same chemical that ages silver in the first place, that is Oxygen in the air.

Go to drug store and get a bottle of Hydrogen peroxide and put some in a perfume sprayer. Then heat up your silverware piece with a hair dryer, the spray with the peroxide. You will instantly see oxidization take place and that "old look" will be there.

Sulfur compounds can actually pit the surface of silver as the sulfur is converted to Sulfuric Acid in the presence of air moisture or condensate. Surfuric acid is a strong Oxidizing agent, so strong in fact on Silver it will pit it. Whereas the Hydrogen peroxide will oxidize the surface and immediately provide that oxide that will protect the silver below. No pitting will occur with Hydrogen Peroxide for that very reason.

2007-02-05 15:44:53 by Wally Bar | Posted in Cleaning & Laundry

What would a patent 1895 Sterling Silverware set of 12 cost?

the are engraved and there are may different serving spoons and forks and knives ect. THANKS!

2008-11-27 11:37:36 by hottie_girl134 | Posted in Genealogy

Can the patina on sterling silverware be replaced?

I unwitingly used a silver cleaner on some silver which removed the patina, needless to say my wife is not to happy....

Easy. Just place your silverware in a ziplock bag with a boiled and shelled egg for a day or two. Then remove and wash your cutlery - it should have re-tarnished nicely by then.

2007-02-10 08:36:54 by northdakota | Posted in Decorating & Remodeling

Should you store freshly polished sterling silverware next to aluminum foil to prevent tarnishing ?

I have heard that this does work, even the foil wrapper off of chewing gum placed in the silver chest. Another good thing that works and I know this from experience from working in a jewelry store.We put a small camphor block in the silver showcase.If you do decide to try the camphor blocks, just tear a small hole in the top of the wrapper. They can be found at any drug store.

2007-05-28 18:36:01 by stockhamdd | Posted in Maintenance & Repairs

How to clean sterling silver silverware?

Any ideas... what works the best... how do you polish it?? Best answer receives 10 points!!!!!

* Methods of cleaning silver should be determined by the value placed on it, monetary or sentimental, and the design of the pattern. Silver with deeply "carved" patterns that are enhanced by an oxide or French gray finish should be hand polished with a high quality silver cream or polish.

Hand rubbing develops patina on silver which adds to its beauty. Ornamental silver pieces that have been lacquered may be washed in lukewarm water; hot water could remove the lacquer. Polishing silver while wearing rubber gloves promotes tarnish. Instead, choose plastic or cotton gloves.

Silver has enemies. Rubber severely affects silver. Rubber corrodes silver, and it can become so deeply etched that only a silversmith can repair the damage. Raised designs can be lost permanently. Avoid using storage cabinets or chests with rubber seals, rubber floor coverings, rubber bands, etc.

Other enemies of silver include table salt, olives, salad dressing, eggs, vinegar and fruit juices. Serve these foods in china or glass containers. Although flowers and fruit look lovely in silver containers, the acid produced as they decay can etch the containers and cause serious damage. When using silver containers, use plastic or glass liners.

Baking Soda: Apply a paste of baking soda and water. Rub, rinse, and polish dry with a soft cloth. To remove tarnish from silverware, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth and rub it on the silverware until tarnish is gone. Rinse and dry well.

Aluminum Foil, Baking Soda, and Salt: Place a sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of a pan, add 2-3 inches of water, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Add silver pieces, boil 2-3 minutes, making sure the water covers the silver pieces. Remove silver, rinse, dry, and buff with a soft cloth. This method cleans the design and crevices of silver pieces.

Toothpaste: To clean off tarnish, coat the silver with toothpaste, then run it under warm water, work it into a foam, and rinse it off. For stubborn stains or intricate grooves, use an old soft-bristled toothbrush.

Silver Flatware Care
Silver is easily scratched so never use harsh abrasives. It is corroded or tarnished by salt and salt air, sulfur and sulfur-containing foods, and rubber. Frequent use deters formation of tarnish. Do not let silver stand with food on it; salty or acid foods can stain it. Rinse if it will not be washed at once.

Store silverware in a chest lined with tarnish- resistant flannel or air-tight plastic bag when not in use. Do not put rubber bands on silver as they cause tarnish. Handle silver with care to avoid nicks and heavy scratches; knife blades and other metals can do damage if they come in contact with silverware.

Cleaning Flatware: Wash in warm sudsy water. Rinse well and dry immediately. Do not let hollow handled silverware or hollow ware stand in water as a combination of heat, water, and detergent may loosen soldering.

Washing in a Dishwasher: Silverware may be washed in the dishwasher but the patina on fine silver is enhanced by the rubbing that occurs when washing and drying by hand. Hollow handles may be loosened with exposure to heat and detergent in the dishwasher.

Electrolytic methods of cleaning: Aluminum, salt, soda and hot water are not recommended for cleaning silver with an oxidized or French gray finish. Do not spill dry dishwasher detergent on flatware; it may cause dark spots. If washing both silverware and stainless steel flatware in the dishwasher, do not put in the same basket section or let one metal touch the other, or the silver may be permanently damaged. New sterling silverware sometimes gets brown spots after washing in the dishwasher. Sterling is 92 1/2 percent silver and 7 1/2 percent other alloys including copper for greater durability. In automatic dish washing, a reaction can occur between water droplets and the small portion of copper at the surface to cause brown spots on some pieces. After the silverware has been washed several times, the copper on the surface is gone and the surface is pure silver. Avoid such spotting on new silverware by washing and drying new silverware by hand for the first few uses. If you want to use the dishwasher, follow these precautions: Use the automatic rinse dispenser feature of a dishwasher. The rinse agent lowers the surface tension of the rinse water so it sheets off the surfaces and droplets don't form. or use a rinse agent in solid form that hangs on the dishwasher rack, if your dishwasher does not have an automatic rinse dispenser. Remove new silverware from the dishwasher immediately after the last rinse cycle and towel dry for the first few times.

2007-02-27 12:23:44 by bbwandsingle1980 | Posted in Cleaning & Laundry

I have some sterling silverware, where is the best place to sell it for a decent price in the UK?

2008-10-03 03:11:10 by Karuna | Posted in London