Plating is a process that involves coating a base metal with a thin layer of silver. Overlay is a similar process. While silver-plated items are beautiful, they must be handled with care as the silver layer can wear away over time, exposing the base metal beneath. They may be inscribed with the words “plate” or “silverplate.”

Regularly buffing silver is the best way to keep it shiny. Use a treated cloth, such as a Mayflower Polishing Cloth, to maintain your silver. Wipe the object with the treated side, rinse it, and buff it with the cloth’s untreated side. Q. Can I use cleaning wipes for silver-plated items? Polishing silver and other metals can take some effort—especially if you're trying to restore them to their former glory—but Weiman's Silver Polish is heavy-duty enough to buff away major discoloration and tarnish, leaving behind a brilliant shine and coat of protection. In addition to silver, this liquid polish can revive dull metals like copper, gold, platinum, titanium, brass, and aluminum. Whether you need to polish antique silverware and teapots or delicate jewelry with precious gemstones, this cleaner leaves behind an immense sparkle and shine. Flatware: While a cream or liquid will work well with utensils, cleaning a large silverware set using this method can be tedious and time-consuming. Dips that allow you to put multiple pieces of silver into a solution can speed up the cleaning of a 46-piece flatware set. While not as thorough as creams and liquids, these silver polishing wipes are loved for their mess-free cleanup that leaves your items with an effortless sparkle. There's also an invisible anti-tarnish coating that protects silver from future buildup. Unlike the other polishes on our list, these wipes will work best on purely silver items that do not include other stones and metals such as diamonds or gold. If you want to avoid using harsh chemicals when you clean your silver items, look for products that don’t contain ammonia or that indicate they are environmentally safe.Minimize exposing your silver to substances that contain sulfur (e.g., mayonnaise, eggs, mustard, onions, latex, and wool) because sulfur causes corrosion. It's important to note that you should not put any polishing cloth in the laundry. They have a polishing solution in the fibers and washing them will remove that benefit. If the cloth does get dirty, you will need to replace it. You should also replace the cloth periodically because frequent use will use up the embedded polishing agents. Each cloth can be used for months or even years, depending on how often you polish your pieces and how many you have. Silver polishes only need to be used occasionally. You can use them whenever your silver items start to appear dingy and look like they need a bit of a shine. If the silver is exposed to elements like sulfur and chlorine, says Fahey, your items might need to be polished lightly.

Wright’s cream is a trusted brand that works great to clean and shine a variety of metals, including silver, chrome, and pewter. It can even work for porcelain. But the real benefit and the reason it’s at the top of our list is how well it removes tarnish. It won’t scratch no matter how hard you scrub, as long as you use a soft cloth. We recommend using a rag or other cloth that you’ll only use for this purpose to avoid it becoming contaminated with other cleaning agents that are not safe for silver. This polish comes with a sponge that can be used to rub the cream into your items. Don’t despair over those tarnished silver heirlooms you’ve discovered in your attic. A little silver polish is all you need to return those cherished jewelry pieces, flatware, family heirlooms, or old sports medals to their former glory. Polishing a 45-piece set of silver flatware with liquid cleaners can be downright laborious. This dip-style silver polish is a time- and energy-saver. Simply dip your salad forks, soup spoons, dinner knives, and dessert forks a few at a time into the tall bottle of polish, wipe them down with a cloth, and your silverware is ready for a special dinner. The Advantages of Owning Silver PolishDirections: Drop your silver jewelry into the liquid. Remove the items with the included basket, rinse your jewelry with warm water, and then wipe them dry. Dips, which are sometimes called baths, are liquid solutions designed for dipping and soaking silver items with various degrees of tarnish. Some solutions come with trays for coating small pieces like rings or pendants. Items like flatware can be dipped, and larger pieces can be wiped with the liquid. Most dips require rinsing, and some include polishing cloths. Although the liquid can be a bit messy, dips are highly effective at removing even stubborn tarnish. Always be mindful with silver-plated pieces," says Gazzo. "Dip them in the product very briefly and always rinse with water and dry them immediately with a soft cloth." The formula contains an anti-tarnish agent. And it works like magic! This creates a barrier that prevents future tarnish from forming. While washing your flatware with a cleaner made for silver immediately after using it is the best way to prevent tarnish, the barrier makes cleaning in between uses less frequent! And we’re all about working smarter, not harder!

Wipes: This type consists of a cloth coated with a dry cleaner. There is no need to squeeze a solution out of a bottle or apply a cream with wipes. Simply wipe the tarnish free, rinse, and buff. This term is simply used to describe the types of silver that are used to make coins. This silver also primarily contains copper with a varying percentage of silver, about 75% to 90% for a 750 to 900 rating. Drop the silver items into the container so that they are touching each other and resting on the foil. You'll be able to watch as the tarnish disappears. We also reached out to Laura Elizabeth, owner and designer of luxury jewelry line Laura Elizabeth Jewelry. “When silver is exposed to oxygen or moisture, it tarnishes,” says Elizabeth whose creations are made of recycled brass, 14 karat gold, and sterling silver. Because metals don’t mix well together, she suggests keeping silver, gold, and rose gold separate when cleaning.Antiques: Gentle cleaners are best with antiques that have a silver patina. Stronger cleaners will remove patinas, stealing some of the character of your antique.

Use care when polishing or dipping silver plated items. It is easy to wear away the thin outer layer of silver and cause more harm than good through over-cleaning. Using a silver cleaning cloth is arguably the easiest way to clean small silver items. In addition to doing a good job of removing tarnish, the soft material buffs the metal for a mirror-like shine. Today’s silver polish includes powerful ingredients designed to remove tarnish by separating the sulfur from the silver to preserve the piece while cleaning it. This makes it safe for polishing silver-plated objects as well as solid silver pieces. Although these formulas are closely guarded secrets, most include chemicals that remove tarnish and leave protective films that resist scratches and prevent tarnish from forming.

The best way to clean sterling silver is with high-quality silver polish. Weiman Silver Polish and Cleaner is suitable for both jewelry and flatware, while a dip, such as Hagerty’s Silver Dip, is best for large sets of silver tableware. For jewelry with gemstones or silver objects with a patina, use a gentle cleaner, such as Scotchguard Tarni-Shield. Q. How do you keep silver shiny?