Is Silverware From The Thrift Store Safe To Use? Here's How To Tell

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Thrift stores are amazing for finding high-quality treasures at low prices, and buying secondhand helps the planet by reducing waste and environmental strain caused by manufacturing new items. With all of these benefits, you may be surprised to learn there are some things you should never buy at the thrift store. Vintage and antique items manufactured with different safety and material requirements mean that some items may not be healthy to use today, such as dishware containing lead. Another item to be wary of buying secondhand is silverware. The condition and material of thrifted silver utensils can make eating with them a health hazard.

Some pieces of flatware in thrift stores are silver-plated, while others are manufactured from silver. If you are lucky enough to find silverware that is true silver, it is probably safe to use. Pure silver is unlikely to cause significant health issues. It has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, and is relatively non-toxic. Significant and prolonged exposure to silver can cause your skin to turn blue or gray, and it may be related to breathing and allergy issues in extreme situations, but these are not thought to be health effects related to using silver flatware.

Checking the materials thrifted silverware is made from is important because silver-plated items can be more complicated safety-wise. There is a foolproof way to determine whether something is really silver. Look for hallmarks that may indicate the utensil is made of sterling silver. Markings that say "sterling" or have a number, like "925," are good signs. Sterling silver pieces are also typically heavier than silver-plated ones, and sterling silver is not magnetic. 

A significant amount of antique silverware is silver-plated. These pieces have a base material of brass, zinc, or nickel-silver (which doesn't actually contain silver), and the base material is coated in a thin layer of silver. When the silver plating is damaged or tarnished over time, food safety becomes a concern. Bacteria can thrive in scratches and corroded spots, making your silverware unsanitary to use. Additionally, the base metal may flake or leach into the food you are eating. Ingesting small amounts is fine for some people, but for others, such as those with allergies to the base materials, it can be harmful. This is why there are European standards for proper silver plating over metals like nickel-silver that apply to silverware as well.

When it comes to identifying potential dangers, a visual examination can tell you a lot. Many older silver items, both pure and plated, will have some degree of tarnish, which appears as a layer of dark material on the silver's surface. Tarnish, although it may look unappealing, is not dangerous. You can remove tarnish and prevent your silverware from tarnishing by hand-washing it after use. On silver-plated flatware, if you see the base material in scratches or worn spots, which will likely be a different color than the silver plating and not disappear with tarnish treatment, then you may want to avoid eating with it. If you want to use silver-plated utensils, avoid acids and liquids. To safely eat from silver-plated dishes or serving vessels, a genius way to repurpose parchment paper is to use it as a barrier between the metal and food. Finally, remember to test all thrifted tableware for lead (these lead test swabs can help).