10 Easy Tips on Caring and Storing Your Silver Collection

Don't let the fear of tarnishing silver stop you from collecting these beautiful pieces. I will show you some tips on how to care and store them. After reading this article, you will feel more confident about owning your own set of silver.

Silver Caring Tips:

#1 When you collect silver pieces, you might feel that using your silver would cause it to tarnish. So you store it and save it for special occasions. This is not necessary, use your silver pieces and often. Silver is durable enough to use regularly. With these special tips you can rest assured your silver will be well cared for.

#2 Do not use your silver for eggs, onions, and peas. The sulfur in these foods mixed with silver will create silver sulphine. Sulphine will discolor the surfaces of silver.

#3 Wool, latex, and felt fabrics have sulfur, just like the food mentioned about. If you are using new fabrics for cleaning, double check to see if they contain sulfur. The Internet is a good information source for this.

#4 After using your silver saltshakers or salt sellers, remove the salt each time. Clean them well. Storing silver pieces with salt will damage them and other pieces of your collection. Salt is a corrosive element and will permeate in the air.

#5 Make sure you dust your collection before cleaning. Dust can be abrasive and scratch your silver's finish if it is not removed before cleaning. Use a soft-bristled brush or a clean cotton cloth to dust your silver pieces.

Silver Storing Tips:

#1 Store your collection in a damp free sealed environment. Sulfur, salt, and other caustic elements can be found in the air that will cause your silver to tarnish.

#2 If you have just painted your cabinets and/or drawers, wait about 4 months before placing your silver collection into them. Some paints can speed up tarnishing.

#3 Avoid contacting your silver with rubber. Don't combine your silver cutlery with rubber bands or store rubber bands in silver cups. Rubber bands do contain ingredients that can tarnish silver.

#4 Do not use scotch tape, cardboard, and newspaper. These items can acids that are harmful to silver. Instead, use acid-free paper to wrap your silver pieces.

#5 Use drawer liners to protect your silver collection. There are a variety of products to choose from. One common product are cloths that contain activated carbon, such as Kenized cloths. Another common product is anti-tarnish strips. Anti-tarnish strips contain charcoal that will absorb tarnish producing elements. You can purchase these products from jewelers or department and specialty stores where new silver pieces are sold.

These are basic tips for taking special care of your silver collection. By following this guide, you will find yourself with a beautiful silver collection for generations to enjoy.