How do you clean old, really tarnished silver?

[octmom]

While we were visiting my parents last week, my mom reached into the junkpile that is her silverware drawer and pulled out three sterling baby spoons and a fork that were given to me as a baby. The fork and two spoons have my initials engraved on the handles. They look pretty terrible, but I'd like to try to clean them up. I used some paste silver polish (can't remember the brand and I am at work now) and also some liquid (dip) silver jewelry cleaner, but I haven't put much effort into it yet. My first attempts did remove some of the tarnish, but there is a lot left. I think some of the pieces are pitted/ etched. :( Anyone have any suggestions for cleaning them?

TIA!

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[Mommy_Again]

you're going to need a LOT of elbow grease and a good silver polish- I like Wright's.

[pritchettzoo]

If you have a jewelry store nearby that sells lots of silver items (like platters, pitchers, etc.) they may have an industrial silver-cleaning tank that they would dip the items in for you. I don't know the official name; we called it the "stink tank" because it smells like sulphur when you turn it on and dunk something really tarnished in.

Otherwise, try Hagerty's Silver Foam. It looks like brown mud. You apply it with a wet sponge and it foams up.

If they are silverplated, you may have to get them replated. Another reason to befriend your neighborhood jewelry store. My old store sent them to the same company that bronzes baby shoes (Bron Shoe Company)--here's their website. Maybe there's a link that would send you to authorized stores? http://www.abcbronze.com/history.php and here's the silverplating division: http://www.resilver.com/

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and a BOY! (coming July '05)

[chlobo]

Disclaimer: I have not tried this method but if it works it would be kick butt

I have a book called "Haley's Cleaning Hints" and its chock full of cleaning short cuts, etc. Anyhow, here is his method for cleaning silver:

Run about a quart of hot water into your kitcen or bathroom sink (cool enough not to burn you). Dissolve 1 tbsp. water softener (or laundry washing soda) and 1 tbsp. salt, in the water. Place a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom of the sink and place your tarnished silver on the foil. The silver that's both touching the foil and covered by the water should become clean within 10 seconds. If the piece is badly tarnished, rub it with a soft cloth after removing it from the water.

[mudder17]

This should work very well--you're just creating a redox reaction that will reduce the oxidized silver.


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif , 15 months & counting
Kaya's cousin, due October 9th!!!