Silver is an expensive material and needs to be taken care of properly. It is a metal that is prone to tarnishing. However, it is also very easy to clean. You do not need any special materials to clean your sliver cutlery. If you are thinking of adding Silver utensils to your unique home decor, then our suggestion is that you should definitely go ahead. There are several health benefits of using silver crockery and they are easier to maintain than you think. You can use simple things like baking soda and salt to remove the tarnishing from silver. Here is how you can clean silver cutlery.

Line up silver in a disposable aluminum container

Start by placing your silver crockery in a single line in a Disposable Aluminum Container. If you do not need wish to use a disposable container then you can use a bucket or the kitchen sink and line it up with aluminum foil. Make sure that you cover the entire bucket or sink properly with foil, even the edges. It is very important to use a foil as the cleaning process could stain the vessel in which washing is being done. It can also leave behind a strong odor. 

Use Baking soda

Cover your silver utensils with a thick dust of baking soda. The exact quantity of baking soda is not important as long as there is an even layer spread over the silver pieces. Next step is to add boiling water into the vessel. The amount of water should be enough to submerge the pieces completely. Leave your dishes in water for roughly five minutes. You can even choose to leave them longer in water if the tarnishing is really bad. This removes the sulfur dioxide that develops on the surface of silver. This chemical reaction releases an unpleasant smell, so it is better to clean your silver cutlery in a well-ventilated room. 

Dry and clean the pieces

Remove the utensils and place them on a soft cotton cloth. You can use tongs or plastic or cotton gloves to remove the pieces. Do not use rubber gloves to remove the utensils as rubber can corrode silver. Use another soft cotton cloth and rub it thoroughly over the silver pieces. For larger pieces, use small circular motions to clean them. For crockery and other home décor goods like tartan napkins and pillow cases, log on to trishscully.com 

Add vinegar for heavy tarnishing

If your silver sterling silver charger plates and other items are heavily tarnished then you can use also use vinegar. After you have lined up a vessel with aluminum foil, add one tablespoon baking soda, one tablespoon kosher salt and half a cup of distilled white vinegar. Leave them submerged in the vessel for 30 seconds to three minutes depending upon the extent of tarnishing. Use gloves or tongs to remove the pieces, dry them and buff them.

Do not use heavy detergents for silver plated itemsIf you have silver plated champagne buckets or other silver-plated cutlery then make sure you only use mild detergents to clean these pieces. Silver plating is prone to wear and tear and corrosion, so you need to be extra careful while cleaning them. Baking soda works wonders with silver plated utensils.