Getting your fancy dishes and silverware ready for a party or family gathering can be so exciting! But if you pull out your silver cutlery and serveware that’s been stored with newspapers and rubber bands, only to find they’re tarnished beyond belief, that excitement quickly turns into frustration. You end up wasting time polishing everything up before the big event. Using newspapers and rubber bands to store your silver when it’s not in use may be common, but it’s actually doing more harm than good. Silver, whether it’s your grandmother’s jewelry or your favorite serving platter, is prone to tarnishing. This chemical reaction is usually caused by silver coming into contact with hydrogen sulfide or sulfur dioxide. So there are better ways to keep your silver safe and shiny for years to come than using newspaper and rubber bands.
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Caring for and storing silver the right way
Kambing gue sisirin/Shutterstock The problem isn’t usually the newspaper itself – it’s the ink. Printer’s ink has traditionally been acidic, and acids can tarnish silver and remove the plating. And rubber bands are often made with sulfur compounds, which are another common culprit in tarnishing and corroding silver, even through layers of paper or fabric. Silver can actually be tarnished by all kinds of things, like contact with foods like salad dressings, salt, eggs, and olives.
To keep your silver looking its best for years, proper storage is key. Wrap your silver pieces in flannel or another soft, non-chemical-treated fabric. Then store the wrapped items in airtight plastic bags or containers to protect them from humidity, which can also lead to tarnishing. Experts recommend adding silica gel packets and anti-tarnish strips to remove moisture from the air inside your silver storage.
The good news is that tarnishing isn’t permanent, and you can easily polish your silver pieces back to a beautiful shine. Or invest in a silver cloth, which is an affordable way to keep your silver looking fresh.
