Silver Cleaner?

[jazzylily]

Which liquid silver cleaner do you find the best? Or how do you keep your silver findings free from tarnish especially twisted wire and earring wires?

Thanks
Pauline 

[mizgeorge]

Good old silver dip (Goddards is usually my first choice) works just fine and can be bought in most supermarkets.

Keeping things in ziploc bags makes a huge difference, silver only tarnishes in contact with air, and anti-tarnish tabs are very useful things - http://www.palmermetals.co.uk/shop/chemicals/intercept-technology-anti-tarnish-products/1-x-1-inch-static-intercept-non-abrasive-anti-tarnish-tabs-100pcs.html

[Nick]

As George says Goddards. You could also try some cheap tin foil in the bottom of a heat proof dish or an old take away tray. (The higher the aluminium content the better).
Put the silver items on the foil or tray add warm water and bicard of soda. There should be a reaction giving small bubbles as the tarnish disappears. Dry with a soft cloth. The impregnated silver cleaning cloths are also quite good if the tarnish is light.

regards

Nick

[jazzylily]

Many thanks to both of you for your helpful tips.  I have been using Silver Dip but thought there may be a better solution.

Pauline

[Yeske]

One question though: does it damage gemstones and/or glass?

I know that moonstone is quite frickle and degenerates/dissolves in liver of sulphur.. but will it do something similar when cléaning the silver?

[Nick]

Many softer stones can be damaged by water or cleaner as far as I know glass should be fine. Examples of some of the stones that can be damaged are angelite, celestaite, selenite, most forms of amber, azurite, but there are others.

Hope this is of some help.

[Redhotsal]

I'm with Nick on the aluminium foil and bicarb trick. My recipe is a little different - I use a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of BAKING POWDER (don't know what difference it makes to use baking powder, instead of bicarb??) and hot water. Brings the silver up a treat but makes it a little matt - like when the silver is pickled so a quick polish with a cloth completes the clean.

[Dee Dee]

I'm in the aluminium foil camp too - but I use washing soda - works well