Proper silver care is essential to maintain the beauty and value of you sterling silver flatware, display pieces, and antique silver collectibles.This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know to prevent tarnish, clean silver safely and ensure long-term preservation.

Silver tarnishes when exposed to oxygen and sulfur compounds in the air. To minimize tarnish:

• Store silver in enclosed spaces like display cabinets or flatware storage chests.
• Use anti-tarnish products such as Hagerty Silver Protection Strips or 3M Anti-Tarnish Strips inside cabinets
  to further reduce exposure.

Cut your silver cleaning time with these simple maintenance strategies:

• Use a Goddard's silver polishing cloth (or silver polishing gloves) regularly to remove light tarnish.
• Always clean and dry your silver thoroughly after use. Never let it soak overnight.
• For medium tarnish, use a quality silver polish like Goddards, that contains a tarnish preventive ingredient.
• When not in use, store your silver in an air tight location.
• For stubborn spots, try Goddards Silver Dip (use sparingly as it is hard on your silver's sheen).

To protect your silver from tarnish and corrosion:

• Avoid prolonged contact with salt, salty foods, or sulfur-rich foods like eggs.
• Do not store or wrap silver in plastic wrap, and do not allow it to come in direct contact with rubber bands.
• Silver is relatively soft, never use abrasive cleaning pads meant for pots and pans, or polishes intended for harder metals like steel or brass.

Silver can be stored for long periods without tarnishing by following these steps:

1. Make sure the silver is clean and dry. We recommend leaving out for several hours after washing, to completely dry.
2. Wrap each piece in acid-free tissue paper or a soft cloth to avoid any scratching.
3. Place wrapped silver in an airtight container. (eg. zip lock bag, plastic storage tub).

1. Wash your silver with a strong detergent.
2. Fill your sink or a plastic tub with warm water and dissolve a handful of washing soda in the water.
3. Wrap a sheet of aluminum foil around your piece and submerge it in the solution for 1-2 minutes. This will "loosen" the tarnish.
4. Remove, rinse, and polish with a good silver polish to remove tarnish and restore lustre.
5. Dry completely with a soft cloth.

Dishwashers can be tough on sterling flatware, prolonged use can cause it to lose its sheen. We recommend hand washing (particularly for antique silver) but if you do you a dishwasher here are a few tips:

• Use a liquid soap with no chlorine bleach.
• Select the Gentle or Delicate cycle.
• Do not let your sterling touch any stainless steel pieces.
• If you can, remove items before the heated drying cycle and dry by hand.
• Avoid putting anitque silver knives in the dishwasher. The high heat can loosen the handles and cause damage to folded steel blades.