On 4/15/2017 1:55 AM, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> IME, home remedies are often only moderately acceptable or not
> acceptable at all, e.g., using mayo, salad oil, butter, peanut butter,
> etc. in order to remove labels. I'd sooner have a proper solvent or
> remover on hand and get the job done quickly. Thre are many other
> categories of home remedies that are also only partially effective or
> not at all.
>
Guess what "home remedy" works really well to remove tarnish from
silver? Baking soda, white vinegar and foil. Don't ask me why; I'm not
a chemist.

I hear tell ketchup is also good for cleaning silver. Since I don't use
ketchup for much (not even on fried potatoes!) it might be a good way to
use up what I've got in the 'fridge.

Jill

I don't think the home fix for cleaning silver is recommended by anyone who
knows silver....I guess it removes too much of the silver, but I don't know exactly
why it is a bad idea.

N.

On Tue, 18 Apr 2017 15:34:17 -0700 (PDT), Nancy2
> wrote:

>I don't think the home fix for cleaning silver is recommended by anyone who
>knows silver....I guess it removes too much of the silver, but I don't know exactly
>why it is a bad idea.
>
>N.
If you have silver plate soon the finish is gone and you have black
ware.
Janet US

Am Mittwoch, 19. April 2017 01:00:50 UTC+2 schrieb U.S. Janet B.:
> On Tue, 18 Apr 2017 15:34:17 -0700 (PDT), Nancy2
> > wrote:
>
> >I don't think the home fix for cleaning silver is recommended by anyone who
> >knows silver....I guess it removes too much of the silver, but I don't know exactly
> >why it is a bad idea.
> >
> >N.
> If you have silver plate soon the finish is gone and you have black
> ware.
> Janet US

See my former reply.

Bye, Sanne.

Am Mittwoch, 19. April 2017 00:34:22 UTC+2 schrieb Nancy2:
> I don't think the home fix for cleaning silver is recommended by anyone who
> knows silver....I guess it removes too much of the silver, but I don't know exactly
> why it is a bad idea.
>
> N.

On the contrary - the black stuff you rub off with cleaning paste is oxidized
silver. The home remedy with baking soda, aluminium foil etc. turns it back
into silver.

Bye, Sanne.

Sorry, Sanne...check with your favorite silver expert, not a home remedy expert.

N.

On Wed, 19 Apr 2017 09:41:08 -0700 (PDT), Nancy2
> wrote:

>Sorry, Sanne...check with your favorite silver expert, not a home remedy expert.
>
>N.

I checked, he's correct.
The rubbing polish takes away silver. The soaking in the home made
liquid (I found it under the University of Wisconsin) changes the
chemical structure back to silver.
Janet

On 4/19/2017 12:53 PM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
> On Wed, 19 Apr 2017 09:41:08 -0700 (PDT), Nancy2
> > wrote:
>
>> Sorry, Sanne...check with your favorite silver expert, not a home remedy expert.
>>
>> N.
>
> I checked, he's correct.
> The rubbing polish takes away silver. The soaking in the home made
> liquid (I found it under the University of Wisconsin) changes the
> chemical structure back to silver.
> Janet
>
Yes, sanne is correct. I've used this method to clean sterling silver.
I don't know *how* it works, but it doesn't strip tarnish like
commercial polishes do. A jeweler friend told me about this method a
couple of decades ago.

I've tried it. I have a sterling silverware set. Lots of silver
jewelry. Silver tarnishes rather quickly if not constantly used,
washed, handled.

I've tried this method and it works.* It won't come out looking like
you had a servant(s) who spent all day polishing the silver, but hey...
it's not looking black. Give it a good soak, and do it in batches.
Tarnished silverware is a bitch to keep clean.

*Note: If you use this method to clean silver jewelry, if there are
stones in the setting make sure they are *hard* gemstones.

Jill

U.S. Janet B. wrote:
>Nancy2 wrote:
>
>>Sorry, Sanne...check with your favorite silver expert, not a home remedy expert.
>
>I checked, he's correct.
>The rubbing polish takes away silver. The soaking in the home made
>liquid (I found it under the University of Wisconsin) changes the
>chemical structure back to silver.

True... any form of polishing removes metal by abrasion. That
homemade solution works faster in an ultrasonic cleaner... the
aluminum foil causes the tarnish to redeposit by electrolytic action.
However that solution won't remove scratches and may produce a matte
finish that will require careful polishing with jeweler's rouge.
Whenever trying a new application on precious metal it's wise to run a
test on a piece you don't care about.
The darkened areas on old x-ray film is silver oxide, there are
companies that reclaim that silver, however most x-rays are now
digital, no film.... no more light boxes, now digitized x-rays are
displayed in HD on large screen monitors.

On Wed, 19 Apr 2017 10:53:18 -0600, U.S. Janet B. >
wrote:

>On Wed, 19 Apr 2017 09:41:08 -0700 (PDT), Nancy2
> wrote:
>
>>Sorry, Sanne...check with your favorite silver expert, not a home remedy expert.
>>
>>N.
>
>I checked, he's correct.

She, most likely.

On 4/19/2017 6:09 AM, sanne wrote:
> Am Mittwoch, 19. April 2017 00:34:22 UTC+2 schrieb Nancy2:
>> I don't think the home fix for cleaning silver is recommended by anyone who
>> knows silver....I guess it removes too much of the silver, but I don't know exactly
>> why it is a bad idea.
>>
>> N.
>
> On the contrary - the black stuff you rub off with cleaning paste is oxidized
> silver. The home remedy with baking soda, aluminium foil etc. turns it back
> into silver.


If you have real silver, why take a chance of some home remedy.
Just buy the good stuff for god sake. It cost very little considering
how often you polish your silver.

I've always used Wright's Silver polish. It lasts forever.
If you have nice silver, no need to be a tightwad just for the
occasional cleaning.

On Wed, 19 Apr 2017 16:04:39 -0400, Gary > wrote:

>On 4/19/2017 6:09 AM, sanne wrote:
>> Am Mittwoch, 19. April 2017 00:34:22 UTC+2 schrieb Nancy2:
>>> I don't think the home fix for cleaning silver is recommended by anyone who
>>> knows silver....I guess it removes too much of the silver, but I don't know exactly
>>> why it is a bad idea.
>>>
>>> N.
>>
>> On the contrary - the black stuff you rub off with cleaning paste is oxidized
>> silver. The home remedy with baking soda, aluminium foil etc. turns it back
>> into silver.
>
>
>If you have real silver, why take a chance of some home remedy.
>Just buy the good stuff for god sake. It cost very little considering
>how often you polish your silver.
>
>I've always used Wright's Silver polish. It lasts forever.
>If you have nice silver, no need to be a tightwad just for the
>occasional cleaning.

Nothing to do with cost, has to do with polishes removing metal via
abrasion.

On 4/19/2017 5:09 PM, wrote:
> On Wed, 19 Apr 2017 16:04:39 -0400, Gary > wrote:
>
>> On 4/19/2017 6:09 AM, sanne wrote:
>>> Am Mittwoch, 19. April 2017 00:34:22 UTC+2 schrieb Nancy2:
>>>> I don't think the home fix for cleaning silver is recommended by anyone who
>>>> knows silver....I guess it removes too much of the silver, but I don't know exactly
>>>> why it is a bad idea.
>>>>
>>>> N.
>>>
>>> On the contrary - the black stuff you rub off with cleaning paste is oxidized
>>> silver. The home remedy with baking soda, aluminium foil etc. turns it back
>>> into silver.
>>
>>
>> If you have real silver, why take a chance of some home remedy.
>> Just buy the good stuff for god sake. It cost very little considering
>> how often you polish your silver.
>>
>> I've always used Wright's Silver polish. It lasts forever.
>> If you have nice silver, no need to be a tightwad just for the
>> occasional cleaning.
>
> Nothing to do with cost, has to do with polishes removing metal via
> abrasion.
>
Exactly. I've used Wright's silver polish. Comes with a rather harsh
sponge. It dissolves and rubs off the tarnish. Also removes some of
the actual silver.

Wright's is *also* not to be used on silver jewelry which contains gem
stones. It's very acidic.

Jill

I use Wright's, too...I don't use my sterling often because I don't entertain like I did in
the old days. I would rather use my heavy stainless flatware for everyday.

I have a large number of sterling and plated serving pieces. Now that I don't use that
at all, it is polished, wrapped in silver cloth, and then put into those large vacuum bags
that you can remove all the air from.
I dare it to get tarnished. Lol.


N.

On Thu, 20 Apr 2017 05:35:26 -0700 (PDT), Nancy2
> wrote:

>I use Wright's, too...I don't use my sterling often because I don't entertain like I did in
>the old days. I would rather use my heavy stainless flatware for everyday.
>
>I have a large number of sterling and plated serving pieces. Now that I don't use that
>at all, it is polished, wrapped in silver cloth, and then put into those large vacuum bags
>that you can remove all the air from.
>I dare it to get tarnished. Lol.
>
>
>N.
That stuff doesn't even have value at a yard sale. I couldn't even
give mine away. It just isn't the lifestyle anymore.
Janet US

On 4/20/2017 8:35 AM, Nancy2 wrote:
> I use Wright's, too...I don't use my sterling often because I don't entertain like I did in
> the old days. I would rather use my heavy stainless flatware for everyday.
>
> I have a large number of sterling and plated serving pieces. Now that I don't use that
> at all, it is polished, wrapped in silver cloth, and then put into those large vacuum bags
> that you can remove all the air from.
> I dare it to get tarnished. Lol.
>
>
> N.
>
Nancy2, I'd sell my sterling silverware except I can't think who to sell
it *to*. I don't use it. My mother only used it on holidays. I don't
know anyone who uses sterling silverware anymore. I wouldn't begin to
know how to price it, either. It's a set in a box with all the
necessary and (to me) unnecessary (i.e pickle forks) serving pieces.
Old stuff... more on this in a new post.

Jill