You’ll need an application cloth as well as water to rinse away the dirt, tarnish, and excess solution. We recommend a microfiber cloth, especially if your items have small pieces, intricate designs, or delicate areas. Not only will the microfiber provide a soft surface to buff with, but it can also reduce lint and other exposures. You may also want to use scrubbing brushes from W. J. Hagerty, sold separately, which are soft enough for silver pieces. This article was researched and written by Katie Melynn, a freelance writer specializing in home and family products. She has been writing for The Spruce since 2019. We also reached out to Laura Elizabeth, owner and designer of luxury jewelry line Laura Elizabeth Jewelry. “When silver is exposed to oxygen or moisture, it tarnishes,” says Elizabeth whose creations are made of recycled brass, 14 karat gold, and sterling silver. Because metals don’t mix well together, she suggests keeping silver, gold, and rose gold separate when cleaning. As well as cleaning up your metals to display-worthy brilliance, Maxm protects them too, making it even easier to keep on top of their cleaning routine. The gentle formula ensures your precious treasures stay sparkling long after you’ve polished them, as well as providing them with long-lasting protection from corrosion and tarnishing.

It's important to note that you should not put any polishing cloth in the laundry. They have a polishing solution in the fibers and washing them will remove that benefit. If the cloth does get dirty, you will need to replace it. You should also replace the cloth periodically because frequent use will use up the embedded polishing agents. Each cloth can be used for months or even years, depending on how often you polish your pieces and how many you have. Clean your piece of metal with liquid dish soap and rinse, then dry the item thoroughly. Coat the surface of the item with polish and allow it to soak in for 5 minutes. Next, wipe the object down with a microfibre cloth, then rinse the metal item again. Fully dry the metal, being careful not to leave fingerprints on the object. Whether you’re cleaning a gorgeous pendant or your grandma’s heirloom flatware, a great silver polish gets rid of grime and tarnish and brings a special sparkle to your favorite pieces. Look for a silver polish that is easy to apply and has clear instructions for its use. Some can be used on a variety of precious metals while others are designed specifically for silver. We spent hours researching silver polishes to find the very best one while considering factors such as type, formula, and function. Wright’s cream is a trusted brand that works great to clean and shine a variety of metals, including silver, chrome, and pewter. It can even work for porcelain. But the real benefit and the reason it’s at the top of our list is how well it removes tarnish. It won’t scratch no matter how hard you scrub, as long as you use a soft cloth. We recommend using a rag or other cloth that you’ll only use for this purpose to avoid it becoming contaminated with other cleaning agents that are not safe for silver. This polish comes with a sponge that can be used to rub the cream into your items.Sometimes you might notice that even if you’re using a metal polish cream, the rust is not getting polished off a certain work surface such as copper or brass. If this is the case, the metal is probably lacquered. You need to remove the old coat of lacquer before the metal polish cream can work on the metal surface.

Look for silver polish that is cost effective and won’t require a lot to treat your silver items. Liquids and creams often come in smaller containers—you only need a small amount to be effective. Dips are usually larger containers because you will need to pour out the solution into another dish to submerge your items. Silver jewelry cleaners are often the smallest because they have trays built in that can hold delicate pieces, like dainty chains and stud earrings.This polish is safe for sterling silver, plated silver, jewelry, antique silver, and flatware. It also has an anti-tarnish agent. After you use it on your silver pieces, they are less likely to develop tarnish in the future. This cream protects as well as cleans and shines.