The Affordable Product That Makes Your Valuable Vintage Silver Shine Like New

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While the price of silver is seeing record highs, many people are taking stock of the items they have. Some may find that after years of sitting in jewelry or silverware boxes, their valuable vintage silver has seen better days. One of the biggest issues with owning beautiful pieces of silver is that they tarnish easily. And instead of wondering if your silverware is real silver, you're finding yourself wondering how to get it shining like new again. While utilizing a hack like using a potato to polish your silver can seem like a good option in a pinch, there is a better way. Silver cloths are actually the best way to not only polish your silver, but to protect your silver from tarnishing in the first place.

Silver tarnishes because of oxidation — the same chemical reaction that happens when apples turn brown. Sterling silver, which many pieces of jewelry or silverware are made from, contains a small amount of copper. This copper reacts with sulfur in the air or in your body and turns dark-colored and tarnishes. Thankfully it is not permanent, and you can polish it, use a chemical bath, or use what is known as a silver cloth to restore it to its original shiny luster. Any of these methods will work, but the silver cloth is the best low-maintenance, low-cost method. If you happen to own a lot of silver, it might be the best option for you.

It's always a good idea to treat or polish silver items at the first sign of tarnish; the sooner you take care of it, the easier the cleaning process will be. Silver cloths have fine silver particles embedded in their fabric that can be used as a mild abrasive to clean tarnish off. Gently wipe your tarnished piece with the dry cloth, moving to new sections of the cloth as it turns black (never wash your silver cloth, as it removes the anti-tarnishing layer).  

After cleaning your silver, store it in the silver cloth. The silver particles in the cloth also act as a barrier to sulfur, by absorbing the chemical before it has a chance to reach your silver items. The beauty of using a silver cloth like Nancy's Anti-Tarnish Silver Cloth, is that you can purchase the fabric by-the-yard (for around $20 a yard). This means you can cut and use it to fit any type of storage box, make special-sized pockets or pouches for your jewelry, and customize it to work best for you.

There are a few things you can avoid that will help keep your silver shiny. Certain common sulfur-rich ingredients in food can increase tarnish on your silverware; they can even do the same for your jewelry. If you eat onions or eggs on a frequent basis, your sweat can actually contain enough sulfur to tarnish your jewelry. Certain perfumes, lotions, and skincare products can also tarnish your silver. Moisture in the air can also speed up the tarnishing process; that's why you'll often see less tarnish on your silver if you live in an arid region. That's why it's also important to immediately dry off your silver items after getting them wet.