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Antique silver sale and auctions
Focus on Antique Silver
Antique silver
English hallmarks
How to Care
for Your Silver Part 2
part 1
by
Martin Swinton
Cleaning your silver
Here are a couple of methods to
clean your silver.
— Commercial cleaners. A wide
assortment of commercial cleaners is
available at grocery and hardware
stores. The less abrasive the
cleaner, the better.
— Aluminum foil method — This
fast working homemade remedy works
like a charm. Add to pot of boiling
water – a piece of aluminum foil,
salt or a water softener such as
Calgon. The chemical reaction among
these elements quickly lifts
tarnish. Works well for cutlery,
trays etc.
— Toothpaste — An old standby
that works in a pinch. Apply with a
soft toothbrush. Remove with soft
clean cloth.
Storing your silver
A humid environment encourages
tarnishing. Caustic elements such as
sulfur and salt cause tarnishing and
pitting. Using one and/or more of
these techniques will help to create
a barrier between your precious
silver and that pesky tarnish.
— Anti-tarnish strips — Can be
added to drawers where silver is
stored. These strips, containing
activated charcoal absorb tarnish
producing gases.
— Kenzied cloth — Line your
drawers with this 100 per cent
cotton per cent cotton flannel
cloth. When used in combination with
anti-tarnish strips, they provide a
good barrier.
— Polyethylene bags — Store
silver pieces in polyethylene bags
that create a barrier from tarnish
producing gases.
— Desiccated silica gel &
activated charcoal — Add to storage
area a small container of desiccated
silica gel that absorbs water to
keep humidity levels low and a small
container of activated charcoal.
This one-two combination packs a
punch and absorbs harmful gases.
Works well when added to
polyethylene bag.
Martin Swinton lives in
Toronto, Canada and owns Take-A-Boo
Emporium, a popular local antique
shop. He has appeared on a variety
of television programs and teaches
courses on antiques. Contact him at
www.takeaboo.com
Antique silver sale and auctions |
