Heard that silver polish can ruin the silver What do I do?
Generally, most household products do what they're supposed to if you follow the instructionsSilver polish contains an abrasive, and if you use too much, press very hard, or leave the paste in the crevices, you do run the risk of taking the silver off the base metalIf you don't want to run that risk, here are some things you can do: If you're trying to remove a specific stain or blotch, a small amount of white toothpaste (not gel, not children's sugary kind) on a washcloth will often do it If you're trying to take tarnish off a piece (let's say a sugar bowl, for this example) follow this method: Take a large, ordinary kitchen pot with a metal interior (no ceramic lining or enamel, please) and fill it with water, high enough that the bowl can be completely submergedBring the water to a boil, and stir in a quarter cup of regular baking sodaTake a piece of aluminum foil, a foot square or so, ball it up, and drop it into the waterThen, gently place your sugar bowl in the waterWatch carefully, because you don't want to ding the bowl against the side of the potIn a few minutes, you will see the tarnish cling to the foil and away from the bowl Using tongs, gently remove the bowl from the boiling water when you are satisfied that the tarnish has been removedThe bowl will be extremely hot to the touchIf you have more items, repeat the process, refreshing the baking soda each time An advantage to this method is that only the metal oxide, and not the clean, pretty silver underneath, is removed and therefore preserves the item longer than an abrasive methodThe disadvantage, though, is that it exposes the item to heat, so if there's been a repair you run the risk of ungluing the repairAlso, remember that silver is soft and becomes softer when exposed to high heat, so be very gentle with your silver piece to avoid denting or disfigurement Good luck.
