Sterling Silver Flatware Care

Rubber bands will mark your sterling silver, maybe permanently.

Sterling silver flatware is the special-occasion silverware for the American table. This flatware served the family for everyday use when silver was inexpensive. Constant use kept the silver flatware clean and ready for the table. With the rising cost of sterling silver and replacement pieces of flatware, along with the scarcity of some patterns, most families use the sterling for special occasions. Sterling silver is 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent alloy or copper, and costs about $35 an ounce as of early 2011. Changes in value and usage require new instructions for care.

Use

Enjoy your sterling silver for family meals. You may want to count the pieces you take out for use so that you return them all to storage after washing. Keeping track of them may prevent loss to the garbage disposer or the grandchildren's sandbox. Rotate your sterling silver flatware so you do not use the top pieces exclusively. Even wear will make the pieces continue to look like a set.

Washing

Wash your sterling before the first use to remove traces of copper or alloy. After you use your sterling silver, wash it in the sink with a soft cloth and mild detergent before you start cleaning dishes. This assures that you have all the pieces and that you have washed egg, mustard, mayonnaise and acids off the sterling immediately. Salt will cause pitting or spots on the sterling. You may wash sterling silver in your dishwasher although it is not recommended. Hollow handle knives may hold water after a dishwasher run. Sterling should never touch stainless or silverplate pieces in the wash. Remove and dry with a soft cloth immediately to avoid water spots.

Cleaning

Clean your sterling silver only when needed. With proper storage and use, this should be less often than once a year -- maybe every two or three years. Clean with a soft cloth and a non-abrasive cleaner, wiping in lengthwise strokes. Do not use a metal polish for your sterling; use a silver polish that is a cream or foam with a soft cloth, not a textured pad. Your sterling flatware may have gold accents applied over the sterling. Do not apply the silver polish to the gold accent area.

Storage

Your sterling silver flatware may see the box more than the table. Use a tarnish-resistant box with a protective lining and return the silver to the box after every use. Alternatively, use the protective cloths with pockets or flannel flatware rolls to store your sterling to prevent tarnishing. Tarnish comes primarily from hydrogen sulfide in the air, so appropriate storage protects the sterling from the air.

References

• Flatware.org: Sterling Silver Flatware -- How to Care for It
• Ricci Argentieri: Ricci Argentieri Flatware Care and Maintenance
• Society of American Silversmiths; Silver Care; Jeffrey Herman; June 2010