posted 06-20-2001 09:21 AM            

The basics:

• Whenever possible, avoid polishing silverplate. Silver plate is a thin coating of pure silver on a base metal (i.e., copper). Pure silver is much softer that Sterling and polishing will remove some silver eventually revealing the base metal.

• When silver or silverplate is tarnished polishing is the only effective way to remove the tarnish. Before polishing always begin by first washing with a mild soap and pure fresh water (i.e. distilled water). If you use tap water please be certain it doesn't contain sulphur or salts. Towel dry.

  There are many different silver polishes to select from. Pick a polish that doesn't contain rouge (they are usually a pinkish color) since the rouge is abrasive and will remove silver along with the tarnish.

• Once polished, you can keep silver looking great by making sure the silver doesn't come in contact with sulphur. For example, egg yolks contain sulphur. And make sure you wash your silver on a regular schedule. How often depends on where you live and the time of year. There is sulphur in the air and the more sulphur there is, the more often washing will be required. With the proper schedule of simple washing and drying you may never have to polish your silver or silver plate again.

posted 07-30-2004 10:28 PM            

I have tried it, but being no expert my view of it may be of limited value. Still, for what it's worth: I believe it is useful as part of the major cleaning of something very badly tarnished - it will reduce most of the tarnish on exposed surfaces back to silver. BUT you still need to do two things:
1) use another method for cleaning recesses and corners, that could be ordinary elbowgrease based polishing or a 'dip' carefully applied
2) all areas still need to be polished, but since some of the tarnish has been 'reduced' the amount of mechanical polishing is less than without the 'aluminum/soda' treatment and therefore, I believe, less silver winds up being abraded.

posted 08-01-2004 01:12 AM            

The traditional hand polishing with a quality silver polish is the best way to care for your silver. Old-fashioned hand polishing will offer you the patina and beautiful color silver should have.