It is not uncommon to find a fine collection of beautiful silverware, shining silver jewelry, elegant silver vases, and silver cutlery for special occasions in Danish homes. And if you are one of those who have filled drawers, cabinets, and windowsills with the beautiful metal, you probably also know this problem: the silver can begin to discolor, get unsightly spots, or simply not shine as much anymore.
When this happens, many people are unsure of what to do. But one thing is certain: the otherwise beautiful silverware is left in the drawer, just as all the silver jewelry remains in the jewelry box. It’s a shame, but it doesn't look good to set the table with stained spoons and yellowish forks. Fortunately, you can tackle the problem with effective products and a handful of good tips and tricks for polishing silver.
Why does my silver tarnish?
All your silver items will tarnish over time, and fortunately, this has nothing to do with the quality of the silver. It is actually a completely natural process. Silver is affected when it comes into contact with, for example, sweat, air, acid from the skin, and various foods. Eggs, for instance, have a significant impact on your silver cutlery. What happens is that sulfur sulfides and sulfur oxides form a yellowish, dark, or black layer on the metal. When this occurs, you need to start polishing silver – it will neither go away on its own nor with a wash from a dish brush.
How to do it: Polish silverware and silver cutlery
There is almost nothing more beautiful than a well-set table with exquisite polished silver tableware – unless both the silverware and silver cutlery have tarnished. Many people only discover that their silverware needs a cleaning when it's actually time to use it. And what do you do then, when time is short and guests are about to arrive?
A quick and effective way to polish silver, silverware, and silver cutlery is to use ordinary silver cleaner. The cleaner is chemical, so you only need to dip both cutlery and silverware in the cleaner for two minutes before taking them out again. It is important that you rinse and wash everything thoroughly afterward. NOTE: You cannot use these types of silver cleaners for your silver jewelry. Read our section on polishing silver jewelry further down.
If you don't have silver cleaner at home, we fortunately also have a tip on how to polish silver super fast: Place everything in a basin with one liter of water, where you have spread aluminum foil at the bottom. Mix about one deciliter of baking soda into the mixture and place your cutlery and silverware in the basin for two or three minutes. Do not leave the silver in the mixture for too long, as it can simply damage the metal. When you take out your silver cutlery, rinse thoroughly with water, and then both cutlery and silverware are actually ready to be used.
After guests have visited and it's time to do the dishes, there are differing opinions on what you should do. Many advise against putting your silver cutlery and silverware in the dishwasher because it can cause stains if, for example, it is washed with steel. For the same reason, we always recommend that you hand wash everything so you don't have to start polishing silverware the moment your dishwasher finishes.
The best tips for polishing silver jewelry
Silver jewelry tends to oxidize over time. This means that the silver darkens in color, and sometimes the silver can become almost black – especially in small nooks and carvings, for example, if you have a pendant with a pattern.
The easy solution is to polish silver with special polishing cloths for silver and other metals. They are super easy to use and quickly give you a beautiful result. You can buy silver polishing cloths for your silver jewelry at Fnugfri.
If you need to clean your silver jewelry right now, we know a couple of quick and easy methods. For example, clean your jewelry of dirt by letting it soak in a bowl of lukewarm water and a little dish soap for 10-15 minutes. Use a new toothbrush and gently brush your jewelry clean. This method is very effective but should not be used if your jewelry contains pearls.
If your silver jewelry has discolored, you can place it in a bowl with boiling water, table salt, and small rolled-up silver balls. After a couple of minutes, you can polish the silver with a clean cloth or a tea towel. Afterward, you can do a lot to keep your silver jewelry looking nice and clean for longer. These guidelines are good to use:
- Put on your jewelry just before leaving the house so that it does not come into contact with creams and perfumes.
- When you are not wearing your silver jewelry, you should store it in fabric pouches – and always separately.
- Take off your jewelry when sleeping, exercising, or showering.
Polish silver: When your silver vase needs a shine
Perhaps you have decorated your home with silver vases or candlesticks. They are beautiful, but less so when they turn dark or yellowish. This can be due to touching the items and thus leaving marks and fingerprints on the surface when, for example, moving objects during cleaning.
Fortunately, there are several miracle products to combat unsightly blemishes and discolorations. You can, for example, polish silver with silver polishing cloths or with a silver cleaning cream. The cleaning cream, in particular, is easy to use for your silver vases:
- Start by rinsing your silver vase or silver candlestick in warm water. Do not dry.
- Use the included sponge – or find a new one – and dip it in the polishing cream.
- Rub and polish the item thoroughly until it becomes sparkling clean.
- Rinse immediately with warm water so that the polishing agent does not dry.
- Dry with a clean tea towel or cloth.
- Wash the sponge, as dried polishing agent can scratch when you polish next time.
Of course, you can find cleaning cream and silver polish at Fnugfri.
Good luck with polishing silver at home.