Caring For, Cleaning and Restoring Silver - Reader Question

THIS POST IS FROM ROOM REMIX - THE BLOG .


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This is a comment/reader question that was left on the Decorating With Silver Trays post: "I have a slight addiction to silver trays. For some reason I always find ones that I MUST have when I go to the thrift stores!!  I'm curious though if anyone has any ideas on how to make one shine again? I bought a beautifully shaped tray, but the inside of it looks like all of the silver has worn away. :( Any Ideas? I would love to keep it metal and not paint it if I can."

House Beautiful  Photo Reed Davis

Not being any sort of an expert on silver, at all,  I did a little research to see who might be.  I'm sure this post doesn't cover all of the possible sources and information, but it's a summary of what I found.  I hope it will be helpful to Leslie, who asked the question, and to anyone else who is trying to care for, clean or restore any of their silver pieces or silverware.   

Veranda Photo John Grover

How to Care For Silver:
1.  Prevent tarnish by storing silver in acid-free tissue paper or unbleached cotton muslin (found at fabric stores) inside a resealable bag. (source: Real Simple)
2.  Care for Silver (House Beautiful)
3.  Silver Care (Society of American Silversmiths) 

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To shine your silver:

Option 1:  Use a silver polish and a clean dry cloth.  myhomeideas.com gives you the full scoop. 

• Good Housekeeping tested 21 silver polishes and shares their findings with you - The Best Silver Polishes.

Option 2:  A more in-depth method from realsimple.com to remove tarnish and polish your silver using household products.

Southern Accents

Replating silver:
1.  How to Tell If Something Is Silver and Not Silver Plate.
2.  What is Silverplate?
3.  How to Replate Worn Silverplate.
4.  How to Repair Silverplate.

Southern Accents has a good article on how to make the most of your silver...

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Carpet Tip and Inspiration

This is for those of you who like to remix your furniture as much as I do. (Please don't tell my husband that I just publicly admitted this because I'm always telling him that I do not move the furniture that much!)

A little tip to help remove those stubborn grooves and dents that seem to want to stay in the carpet after you've moved the furniture. I saw it some time ago somewhere (can't remember where) and I've used it several times since with pretty good success.

Lightly spritz (don't soak) the carpet with water and, using your fingers or some other tool (I think they suggested a fork), massage the carpet and blow it dry with your blow dryer. I used the warm, not hot, setting on my blow dryer. If you DO use your hands, you should use gloves or something. I have a blister on my finger today from just using my hands and not protecting them.

Carpet in one of my rooms before:

Carpet after (not completely gone yet, but much better):

I can't possibly just post boring carpet photos and nothing else, so here's a little inspiration for today. No rhyme or reason to it really...

To view this awesome room photo click on the source -

Source: Traditional Home

Have a great day!