Silver tea sets are synonymous with class and glamour, and a bit of tarnish can affect their appearance. Most people have antique silver-plated tea sets, which may have some tarnish due to longevity. However, it’s not okay to leave tarnish on your silver tea sets. It is essential to know how to clean silver naturally to increase its life and reduce corrosion.
A silver-plated tea set is not pure silver; therefore, it is prone to tarnishing. If you use them daily, cleaning them often can help keep them from tarnishing. All you need for everyday cleaning is warm water, soap, and a soft sponge.
This article will explain two ways to clean silver: one for everyday cleaning and the other for deep cleaning.
How to Clean a Silver Tea Set Every Day
First, soak the silver in warm water for about three minutes to soften any stains. After that, you should rub the surface with the sponge, and when it is thoroughly clean, rinse and dry it with a soft towel.
How to Deep Clean a Silver-Plated Tea Set and Store
While daily cleaning might be good for your silver, you also need to clean it deeply regularly to get rid of tarnishing. For this process, you will need the following:
- Hot water
- Aluminum foil
- Salt
- Baking Soda
- Soft cloth or towel
- A container
Step 1 – Boil Some Water
Boil some water; ensure there is enough for all your silver tea set items.
Step 2 – Prepare Your Container
To soak your silver, you’ll need a large container, bucket, or pot large enough to hold it. You can also use your kitchen sink. To prepare your container, you must purchase a piece of aluminum foil.
Ensure the whole surface is covered because your silver must contact the foil. Do not put too many items in the container. You can clean the tea set in batches if your container is not large enough.
Step 3 – Add your Salt and Baking Soda
Once the foil is ready, sprinkle two tablespoons of salt and baking soda. This measurement is perfect for one liter of water. So, double it for each additional liter of water you use.
Step 4 – Add Hot Water and your Silver Plate
Pour enough water into the container and mix thoroughly with the salt and baking soda. Start adding your silverware to the container, and make sure to do this carefully to avoid scratches. You can put large items first to prevent scratches.
You need to ensure that all items are touching the foil and are not overcrowded so that the water can get into every nook of the tea sets.
Step 5 – Set a Timer and Soak
The time for soaking depends mainly on the extent of the tarnish on your silver plate. If the tarnish is mild and not thick, you may soak for about 5 minutes. However, thicker tarnish may need to soak for up to 30 minutes.
Step 6 – Rinse and Dry
When the time is up, remove your silverware, rinse with warm water, and dry each item with a soft cloth. Check all the nooks to ensure the items are thoroughly cleaned. If any tarnished areas are left, you can remove them by making a paste with water and baking soda. Rub the paste of the item with a soft towel to remove the tarnish, then rinse and dry with a soft cloth.
Step 7- Storage
Avoid storing silver in areas with high humidity. Store your tea sets in air-tight drawers where water and air will not reach them.
Things to Note When Cleaning Silver Tea Set
Do not air dry your clean silver plate tea sets; always dry them with a clean cloth.
When drying with a cloth or towel, it is better to wear cotton gloves as fingerprints can tarnish your silverware.
Use only silver polish for polishing your tea sets; do not use vinegar or lemon juice, which are acidic and may corrode silver-plated items.
If you must use vinegar, it is best to dilute it properly before using it to clean your silver-plated tea set.
How to Clean Badly Tarnished Silver at Home
The above method will clean badly tarnished silver; it may only require more soaking time. Has your silver-plated tea set become tarnished and needs to be restored? Watch this video to learn how to remove long-sitting tarnish from silver.
How Does Baking Soda, Salt, and Hot Water Clean Silver Plates?
When your silver tea set comes into direct contact with the aluminum foil and the hot water mixture, a chemical reaction causes ion exchange, resulting in clean silver. Your tea set has a silver sulfide coating that reacts with the baking soda. Baking soda is an abrasive that’s excellent for cleaning household items. The chemical reaction transfers the tarnish from your silver to the aluminum.
How to Prevent Tarnishing
That layer of discoloration on your silver is called tarnish. It occurs when your silver is exposed to air, water, or heat. It can also be caused when copper and silver combine and chemically react with the environment.
While a bit of tarnish can be a quality for antique silver, too much of it can reduce the utility of your piece. Therefore, cleaning your silver plate regularly is necessary to prevent tarnish. Additionally, always store silver in an air-tight drawer where you can be confident that air and water will not reach them.
Although storing your silver tea set can prolong its use, leaving it unused can also cause tarnishing. Therefore, you should use them regularly. Besides, using them frequently means cleaning them, too; that way, you can catch the tiniest layer of tarnish before it becomes a huge problem.
Conclusion
A silver tea set is a priceless household item that adds glamour to your kitchenware. However, a bit of tarnish can affect their appearance and make them look dirty even when they are not.
Therefore, you must care for your silver plate to keep it shiny and avoid tarnishing. It is easy to clean them; you only need a few household items from your kitchen and hot water. Polishing your silver regularly will also make it shiny and retain its luster.
Finally, you should try as much as you can to prevent tarnishing. Regularly using your silver tea set is best, as it is a proven way to avoid tarnishing.
Check out: How to Make Turkish Tea
