Silver is one of the rare materials that grows more beautiful with use; tarnish is not a flaw but the natural result of contact with air. With the right care, your silver trays and serving pieces will be passed down for generations.
Everyday care
After each use, hand-wash in lukewarm water with mild soap and dry immediately. Silver should never go in the dishwasher — detergent salts leave marks that are hard to reverse.
Prolonged contact with lemon, egg, salt and vinegar accelerates tarnish; wash promptly after serving.
Lifting tarnish
For light tarnish a silver polishing cloth is enough and preserves the protective patina. For heavier tarnish use a dedicated silver polish, always with a soft cloth in straight lines — circular rubbing leaves micro-scratches.
Home remedies like toothpaste or baking-soda scrubbing are abrasive and thin the plating on silver-plated pieces. We advise against them.
Storage
What darkens silver is sulphur in the air. Wrap unused pieces in acid-free tissue and store in closed boxes or cloth pouches; never let rubber bands touch silver — rubber is a sulphur source.
The engraved trays and serving pieces in our silver collection more than deserve this care.
Sterling silver versus silver plate
In sterling (solid) silver, the piece is silver alloy through and through; in plate, a thin silver layer covers a brass or copper body. Daily care is identical for both — the difference is abrasion tolerance: on plated pieces, every harsh scrub removes some of a strictly finite silver layer.
That makes the 'gentle method' a necessity rather than a preference for plated ware: polishing cloth and lotion, yes; powder abrasives, rough sponges and baking-soda scrubs, absolutely not.
Common silver-care mistakes
Top of the list: the dishwasher — detergent salts and contact with stainless steel cause yellowing and spotting that are hard to reverse. Second, bundling silver with rubber bands: rubber is a sulphur source and leaves a permanent black line at the contact point.
Third, the 'aluminium foil + baking soda' bath: it works fast but strips the desirable patina too, and can open micro-pores in plating. With treasured pieces there is no shortcut; cloth, lotion and patience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can food be served on a silver tray?
Yes — silver is food-safe. Just avoid leaving salty or acidic foods in prolonged direct contact, and wash promptly after serving.
How often should silver be polished?
Depending on use, a light pass with a polishing cloth every two to three months is enough. If you rarely need to polish, your storage is right; if tarnish accelerates, review the storage conditions.
Does tarnished silver lose value?
No — tarnish is superficial and fully reversible with the right method. Value is lost to abrasive cleaning, scratches and thinned plating; in other words, what harms silver is not tarnish but wrong cleaning.