How to Polish Sterling Silver Trays
Silver adds a touch of elegance to a large variety of items, from tableware to jewelry. Unfortunately, it is a delicate metal that tarnishes easily. Exposure to elements in the air can turn a once shiny surface almost black, a stain that simple hand washing cannot remove. Fortunately, there are products for this problem. They include specially manufactured polishes, such as Tarn-X, and household products such as baking soda. Use gentle strokes when cleaning your silver tray to avoid scratching the surface. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Silver polish
- Dry cloth
- Soap
- Sponge
- Aluminum foil
- Baking soda
- Toothpaste
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- Aluminum container
Instructions
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1
Rub silver polish, such as Tarn-x or Brasso, onto the tray with a dry cloth. Allow the polish to dry on the tray and then rub it off. Wash the tray with a sponge, soap and water, and then dry off with a cloth.
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2
Plug your kitchen sink so that it can hold water. Place a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil into the sink or a large container. Cover the sheet with a generous amount of baking soda. Pour boiling water over the sheet, enough to completely cover the tray. Place the tray in the water and let it soak for about a minute. This lifts the tarnish from the tray. Pull the tray out, rinse and then dry with a soft cloth.
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3
Rub toothpaste all over the tray, and let it dry. Rinse the tray clean with cold water, and dry with a soft cloth.
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4
Try lemon juice. Rub a wedge of lemon, or a cloth soaked in lemon juice, over the silver tray. Let the juice dry on the tray. Polish the tray with a soft cloth.
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5
Use salt. Pour water into a large aluminum container and add a handful of salt. Submerge the silver tray in the water, and let it soak for about five minutes. "The saltwater will magnetize the tarnish away," authors Linda Mason Hunter and Mikki Halpin say in "Green Clean: The Environmentally Sound Guide to Cleaning Your Home." Take the tray out of the water, and wipe it with a dry cloth.
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6
Combine two methods. For a shinier finish, use the baking soda process given in step 2. Use two sheets of aluminum foil instead of one. After washing the tray, apply silver polish, following the process in step 1.
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