How to Clean Silver-Plated Spoons

Silver-plated spoons are a beautiful addition to tableware and, if kept in good condition, look like solid silver. Silver-plated items require more gentle cleaning, however, than solid silver. The plating on the spoons is very thin. Abrasives and harsh chemicals wear this layer of silver down and may mean you will have to have the spoon replated to return it to its original beauty. As long as you keep that in mind, cleaning these spoons the right way is not difficult.

Things You'll Need

• Dish detergent
• Towels
• Soft cloths
• Silver-polishing cloth

Instructions

1. Wash silver-plated spoons immediately after use. According to sheffield-cutlery.com, acids and other chemicals and foods may react with silver, so you should not leave your silver-plated spoons sitting around dirty longer than necessary.

2. Place clean towels near your kitchen sink. Rinse off the spoons under warm, running water (avoid wearing latex gloves while cleaning silver--according to foundvalue.com, these contain sulfur, which tarnishes silver. Add a drop of dish detergent to a damp cloth.

3. Wash each spoon with the soapy, damp cloth. Rinse them well under water and dry each spoon with a soft cloth immediately after rinsing. Place each on a dry towel while you finish washing the other silver-plated spoons.

4. Polish tarnish off silver-plated spoons with a silver-polishing cloth. You shouldn’t need to use these each time you clean, however--polish only if you see visible tarnish and remember that a gentle touch is best when handling silver-plated items.

Tips & Warnings

• Silver-polishing cloths are available at jewelry stores.

• Never wash silver or silver-plated items in your dishwasher. According to foundvalue.com, chemicals used and the high heat in these are too harsh, plus if silver contacts stainless steel (such as stainless-steel flatware), a chemical reaction will occur, damaging the silver.

References

• Sheffield Cutlery: Caring for Sterling Silver
• Found Value: What Sells: Antique Silver