Silver: cleaning tips and surprising facts

Several of my silver jewelry pieces have been looking less than stellar of late. So I've added: "Necklaces -- clean them!!" to my ever-growing things-to-do list. Being a bit of a Web nerd, I got to thinking about what tips and warnings on silver care might be floating around in cyberspace. So I took a look. The best guide I found was wikiHow's "How to Clean Silver." Here are some highlights:

• Avoid no-rub silver dips. They work by creating an electrochemical reaction, which dissolves the tarnish. However, they are harsh, and the experts don't use them.
• Be safe and opt for a specially formulated silver polish.
• Apply the polish gently, with a back and forth rubbing motion. Don't rub in circles and don't rub hard or you risk damaging the surface of your silver.
• Rinse carefully under running water and dry with a clean, soft cloth.

Now for a few surprising facts about caring for silver:

• Did you know that acidic and salty foods will dull the shine on silver? Common culprits are eggs, mayo, salt, onions and vinegar.
• Don't wear rubber gloves when handling your silver because rubber erodes it.
• It's possible to use toothpaste to clean silver. Just make sure you test it out on a non-valuable piece or inconspicuous spot (such as the underside of a vase) first. Oh, and make sure you use actual paste toothpaste, not the gel variety.
• Baking soda can also be used, but rubbing it onto silver causes a chemical reaction, so don't breathe the fumes! Who knew?!

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