How to Remove Tarnish From Gold-Plated Silverware

Gold-plated silverware should be hand-washed.

Washing regular utensils is a no-brainer, but gold-plated silverware is valuable, which means that cleaning it requires a little more effort. Washing gold-plated silverware in the dishwasher is not advisable, because it may become damaged during the process. To remove tarnish from gold-plated silverware, you should polish and wash it by hand, but you must do so correctly, or you may scratch or dull the surface of your gold-plated silverware.

Things You'll Need

• Baking soda
• Bowl
• Spoon
• 2 cloths
• Mild dish soap
• Sponge

Instructions

1. Make a paste with baking soda and water. Add 2 tbsp. baking soda and 1 tbsp. water to a bowl and use a spoon to mix the two ingredients together.

2. Rub the paste on the gold-plated silverware with a clean cloth. Keep rubbing until you see the black tarnish come off.

3. Apply a drop of mild dish soap to a sponge dampened with warm water. Wipe the gold-plated silverware clean with the soapy sponge.

4. Rinse the gold-plated silverware under a steady stream of cold water. Dry it immediately with a dry, soft cloth, as water can cause it to tarnish again.

References

• Health Guidance: How to Clean Silverware
• "Mary Ellen's Guide to Good Enough Housekeeping"; Mary Ellen Pinkham, Dale Burg; 2002