How to Restore a Silver Plate

When a silver plate is tarnished, it looks dark and dull--not at all like something you want to use for serving. But with proper conditioning, you can remove the tarnish, restore the luster of the silver and make it gleam. Once you have it in good shape and are finished using it, store your silver plate in a chest or bag with special flannel that retards tarnish.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton cloth
• Water
• Toothpaste or silver polish
• Cotton swab

Instructions

1. Dampen a soft cotton cloth with cool or room-temperature water. Hot water can hurt some silver surfaces.

2. Apply a dime-sized drop of toothpaste or a quarter-size drop of silver polish onto the cloth. Rub it in until the tarnish is gone; reapply if necessary. Use a cotton swab to get the polish or toothpaste into tight areas of the plate, such as handles.

3. Rinse the plate, and dry and polish it with a soft clean cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• As an alternative to polishing, line the bottom of a container with aluminum foil and add hot water mixed with baking soda (about 1 cup of baking soda per gallon of water). Place the silver plate on the foil, and the tarnish should begin to disappear in minutes. If it remains, repeat with another round of hot water and soda. Take out the silver and wipe dry.

• Protect your silver from coming in contact with corrosive items such as rubber, salt and vinegar.

References

• More About Restoring Silver

Resources

• Learn More About Silver Care