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How Do I Clean Silverplate?
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Last Post Nov 23, 2009 2:31 PM by: silvermate52
Replies: 74
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grammas*attic
Posts: 2,941

How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Oct 24, 2002 8:33 PM
I won this auction and need to know the best way to clean this teapot. It is badly tarnished. Does anyone know?

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bamaj1
Posts: 6,493
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Re: How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Oct 25, 2002 3:48 PM
You've probably already been advised via email what to do. Get a good quality CREAM polish and use some elbow grease. It should clean up nicely. There's no difference in polishing technique for silverplate or sterling. Good luck!
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grumpy3b
Posts: 2,708
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Re: How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Oct 25, 2002 6:30 PM
I personally like simichrome...but you do want a creme type polish that has no abrasives. The abrasives scratch the finish and can ruin a good set quickly. Also, never, never, ever ever use Tarnex or any of those other instant tarnish removers...they WILL destroy your item instantly...


Life's disappointments are harder to take when you don't know any swear words.~Calvin (Calvin & Hobbes)
 
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daphne@ebay.com
Posts: 765
(3 of 74)

Re: How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Oct 27, 2002 7:58 AM
Thanks for the advice, bamaj1 and grumpy3b!

This question comes up often, so I've made this thread permanent and linked it to our sidebar as an FAQ. (Thank you, meridenmor, for bringing it to my attention!)

If anyone has any more good tips/techniques to share, please do so.. we'll create a nice archive of expert answers that way. :)

Daphne
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meridenmor
Posts: 99
(4 of 74)

Re: How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Oct 27, 2002 12:03 PM
First wash the piece in warm soapy water with a little ammonia in it. I find that frequently items are actually not tarnished, just dirty. In particular, if they have been in a kitchen, what looks like tarnish is just crud. Simichrome is good, you can find it at bicycle shops. Wrights also make a good polish. My personal choice is Haggarty's spray. It does a really nice job on bringing up the luster. But it smells horrible and should be done outside on a windy day. If you find that these don't work, you may have a lacquer on the piece. Try some nail polish remover to see if that takes it off. Lacquer works to keep silver shiny for a little while but when it tarnishes, it is hard to get at. Once you have cleaned the piece, go over again with polish on a soft nubby fabric (old flannel is really good).
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grumpy3b
Posts: 2,708
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Re: How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Oct 27, 2002 2:20 PM
Haggarty's!!! That is thename I forgot...yup..thanks meriden...and yes it smells AWFUL....hehehehehe...but it does shine great and the spray is so easy to use.

Also, if you get something like Simichrome or Blue Magic in a leetle tube...a small amount goes a LONG way...even though the small tube is like $8-$9 it will last quite a while...

Another thing I just though of is if you wash the item don't put bleach in the water if you use ammonia...not only will you kill your silver...it will likely kill you too...makes a thing called mustard gas, and that is a bad...but, also never use bleach to clean silver as it will eat away the surface of the silver.


Life's disappointments are harder to take when you don't know any swear words.~Calvin (Calvin & Hobbes)
 
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bamaj1
Posts: 6,493
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Re: How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Oct 28, 2002 12:32 PM
This method gives me the shivers to even think about but I know some people swear it works. To clean heavily tarnished silver - line your kitchen sink with heavy duty tin foil. Add a cup of TIDE powdered detergent (not the liquid) and HOT HOT HOT water. Immerse your tarnished doodad in the water and let it sit 30 mins. It should come out amazingly bright and shiny; can be repeated for heavy tarnish build up. On another board the debate went on for several days about this sort of cleaning method; it does remove some of the silverplate, but it's said to be less damaging than Tarn-X or other silver cleaners.
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treasurehouses
Posts: 10
(7 of 74)

Re: How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Nov 13, 2002 8:25 AM
What are they called???? Those silver cloth rolls that hold flatware and helps to keep it from tarnishing - what the heck are they called??? I can't seem to find anyone who knows and I want to list some. Any help would certainly be appreciated!!!! Thanks much. Treasurehouses
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bamaj1
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Re: How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Nov 13, 2002 9:10 AM
Treasure - Flannel flatware bags or pouches, I think.
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meridenmor
Posts: 99
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Re: How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Nov 13, 2002 9:46 AM
The fabric they are made from is sold as 'pacific cloth' and is expensive. Because the fabric is permeated with silver. The idea is that the silver in the fabric tarnishes, and your piece is then covered with tarnish which will not let the sulfer etc through to your object.
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greatfindsct
Posts: 12
(10 of 74)

Re: How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Nov 13, 2002 3:59 PM
This is the best way to clean silverplate and sterling. I had a lot of silver I had to polish the other night, tried Tarnex, Silver Polish, and Crest toothpaste, for over 2 hours I scrubbed, with no avail. Then I remembered what an estate person told me. Take a pan, put aluminum foil pieces in it, about a cup of Arm and Hammer Laundry boost (not detergent) and a cup of salt, with hot water. The electro something starts working immediately. I let my stuff sit about 5 min, and they came out beautifully! I have some pitchers up on auction now, if you would like to see how it came out. I was highly amazed at its magic!!! Enjoy :)
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grumpy3b
Posts: 2,708
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Re: How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Nov 13, 2002 5:36 PM
careful with that awful Tarnex and similar products use Tarnex is instantly identifiable and pretty much kills the value of your item util it is replated...also the "electrolysis" method of cleaning does remove silver too and in the long run can do harm to the finish...only real way I have even found is a good cleaning in soapy water then a lot of elbow grease to get it all shiny with something like hagarty's (or other cream type cleaner.)


Life's disappointments are harder to take when you don't know any swear words.~Calvin (Calvin & Hobbes)
 
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fiona@fionasfancy.com
Posts: 1
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Re: How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Dec 19, 2002 2:33 PM
All the Easy-clean methods which involve immersion in a solution lift the dark areas (known as Frenching) from the ornate areas. It will be clean...and utterly lacking patina. Use a good quality silver polish (Like Hagerty's) and elbow grease, and preserve the patina, not the dirt. It is rather like the MDs oath...."First,do no harm".
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bamaj1
Posts: 6,493
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Re: How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Dec 19, 2002 3:51 PM
I adore patina. Keep some if you possibly can. A good cream polish and lots of elbow grease is the best and safest way to go. JMHO
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big*mom
Posts: 1
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Re: How Do I Clean Silverplate?

Dec 20, 2002 8:47 AM
An antique dealer told me about a product that I have used with no apparent harm to the silver and it requires far less time and elbow grease than any cream polishes I have used. It is called Nevr-Dull, it is a wadding polish. It is sold in automotive supply stores. Can be used for any non-laquered metal. It is nothing like Tarnex - which really seems to damage the finish. I'm curious to know if anyone has negative comments on this product.
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