The best product for polishing your vintage silverware and silver jewelry—and no, this isn’t an ad

When it comes to the world of vintage metal, brass really is that girl. Still, as a vintage reseller, I can tell you that silver is a dark horse. I first looked into sterling silver jewelry a few months ago and eventually found myself eyeing silver-plated pieces. To my surprise, silver could fetch a pretty penny—even silver-plated pieces had buyers!

I chalk it up to silver being timeless. It’s an alternative to warm brass and gold tone pieces if you prefer a cooler hue in your decor scheme. Honestly, I feel like thrift stores and estate sales often undervalue it because let’s face it—silver is kind of gross when it’s covered in tarnish, which is something that naturally occurs with age and exposure to the elements.  

Polishing silver, much like cleaning brass, can be something of a tedious task, but I’ve been finding myself enjoying it lately. It’s not because it’s meditative, although it is that, too. I guess it makes me feel accomplished to buff up a grody piece and see it transform into something beautiful and sparkling. It’s different than writing in that I feel like you can never be truly satisfied with your work in writing. 

So what’s the deal with silver tarnishing, and what’s the best way to go about cleaning it? You know the drill—I’ve got you covered with the details ahead.

Why does silver tarnish? 

Sweat, humidity, perfumes, and so many other chemicals can cause silver pieces to tarnish. Typically, the culprit is sulfur. Sulfuric compounds—namely, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide in the air—will interact with silver and turn its surface a blue-black color. It’s honestly kind of goth. 

Additionally, silver is usually mixed with another metal. Pure silver is simply too soft to create usable items, so even 925 sterling silver is only 92.5% silver. The metal that it’s often combined with is copper, which will react to oxygen, so you might find sterling silver turning a slightly reddish color with time. 

It’s nearly impossible to keep silver from tarnishing. That said, there are certain conditions that can accelerate tarnishing, like frequent handling and high humidity. When handling silver, you might want to consider using gloves. In terms of storing silver, it’s best to keep it in a dry environment. If you live in a humid area, consider keeping silica gel packets or chalk nearby to absorb excess air moisture. 

Should you polish vintage silver?

Personally, I’m team polish! I don’t find that polishing silver decreases its value. Some people might like the vintage charm of the oxidized look, but I haven’t had buyers take issue when I clean vintage silver (prior to listing, anyway). 

If you have a confirmed antique piece (that is, 100 years or older), you may want to hold off cleaning. But, at the end of the day, polishing your silver makes it look cleaner and like its literal name—silver, not gunmetal or pewter. While brass develops an attractive patina, tarnished silver can come off as dirty or damaged. 

Does the aluminum and baking soda trick work?

I prefer using gentle polishes for silver-plated pieces. Baking soda can be too abrasive on the plating, so you might end up damaging your piece. I find that the foil trick leaves a gritty layer behind that can scuff up silver, which can be bad if you have a plated piece. However, it is totally your prerogative—I know a lot of people who love this trick!

What is the best product for polishing silver?

I truly saw the light the first time I used Wright’s Silver Cream. (This is not an ad, lol.) You can grab this stuff at basically any grocery or hardware store. It comes in a small tub of a light purple paste and even includes a small sponge. 

The sponge comes in handy, but I’ve also used cotton rags and microfiber cloths for tougher jobs. (Cleaning your rags can be a real pain in the butt, but sometimes the sponge is a bit too flimsy for bigger pieces that need a lot for cleaning.) 

I recommend gloves, since the tarnish can get your hands very dirty, and it’s probably not a great idea to rub cleaning chemicals all over your hands. Do I always use gloves? No comment. Do I also sometimes accidentally mistake Wright’s for my Vanicream moisturizer? Also no comment. 

With Wright’s, all you have to do is repeatedly apply the cream onto your piece and rub it around until the black buildup comes off. Then, you can rinse your silverware and dry it down with a microfiber cloth. While it’s tempting to put some elbow grease into this, I recommend being patient and cleaning slowly and carefully—I literally broke a $100 Gorham piece from scrubbing too hard.  (The hardware and glue on vintage pieces are fairly sensitive to water and cleaning products, so tread with caution.) 

Given how many silver pieces I’ve been selling lately, I really do think that it’s coming back in style. Luckily, you don’t need to douse it with a bunch of cleaning products, no matter what TikTok might have you thinking. Get yourself a tub of Wright’s, and you’ll be golden.