Whether you got it for yourself, it was a gift, or it is a family heirloom, if you have valuable pieces of silver, you want to try your best to keep them looking shiny and brand new. Tarnish starts off with a yellowish tint and the more time passes, the darker it gets until it is a purple or black. Don’t ever let your silver get that bad because to have that repaired requires a professional, a lot of time, and a lot of money. If you are starting to notice a bit of tarnish on your silverware, here is a step-by-step process on how to carefully remove it:
- Rinse each silver item in hot water to remove any surface dust.
- While the silver is still warm, use a moistened foam sponge to spread the silver polish one at a time to each piece of silver.
- Spread the cream quickly over the silver piece to cover it completely.
- Gently rub each tarnished area. Move all around the piece until the tarnish is gone.
- Wash with mild dish soap and rinse in warm water.
- Dry each piece with a very soft cotton towel to remove all of the water.
Remember, silver is a soft metal so be careful when rubbing the polish on your pieces.
http://interiordec.about.com/od/silverstoragetips/a/careforsilver.htm