Silver has a natural shine that tends to appeal to a wide variety of people. While silver doesn’t rust, it can become tarnished over time and lose its luster. The good news is there are some simple yet effective ways to make your silver shiny again. The experts from First National Bullion and Coin, Scottsdale precious metals dealers with years of experience collectors can rely on, offer these tips on how you can restore the shine to your silver.

Aluminum Foil

Line a pot with aluminum foil, place your silver inside, and fill the pot with water. Heat the water to the point where it’s lukewarm but not boiling. Let it sit for a while—about 20–30 minutes should be fine—and then place the silver on a paper towel to let it dry.

Toothpaste

Toothpaste has long been used for polishing and cleaning things like tile. It’s also an effective material for restoring the shine to silver. Just put a small amount of toothpaste on a paper towel or cloth and use it to polish the silver. Make sure to rinse your silver off when you’re done.

Cornflower Paste

Another way to make silver shiny again is to start with a mixture of cornflower and water. Make it so it’s the consistency of light cream, and apply it to your silver. This natural mixture won’t harm silver, and it’s an affordable alternative to more expensive silver polish, especially if you have a lot of silver to keep shiny. Apply the paste, and then gently wipe it off after polishing the silver.

Vinegar or Baking Soda

Both of these old favorites have the potential to restore shine to silver. If you’re using vinegar, simply mix it with water and use it to polish your silver. One way to do this is to put the silver in a bowl and add the vinegar/water mixture to it. This way, you’re allowing the silver to soak for a bit before you polish it. If your silver needs a really good shine, let it soak in the mixture for about an hour before polishing it with a soft cloth. If you choose to use baking soda, you can create a paste instead of doing a soak to get silver looking nice and shiny again.

Window Cleaner (for Fragile Silver)

With older silver, such as antique keepsakes or certain delicate pieces of jewelry, a gentler way to get the shine back is to use window cleaner. Simply spray the cleaner on the silver and use a cotton cloth or swab to polish it. The ammonia in the cleaner restores the shine on older or fragile silver without discoloring it.

Professional Polishing

If all else fails, see what a professional can do. There are specialists who use techniques that go beyond DIY efforts to restore silver’s shine. This is also a step worth taking if you have a lot of silver and you prefer to have it all taken care of in a more convenient way.

Whether they’re looking for expert advice on taking care of their precious metals or they want to buy silver bullion, Scottsdale residents should work with trustworthy precious metal dealers who offer high-quality service and have years of experience. Call on the industry-leading professionals at First National Bullion when you’re ready to invest in precious metals, including silver, gold, platinum, and palladium. Give us a call today at (480) 546-5089.

The statements made in this blog are opinions, and past performance is not indicative of future returns. Precious metals, like all investments, carry risk. Precious metals and coins may appreciate, depreciate, or stay the same in cash value depending on a variety of factors. First National Bullion does not guarantee, and its website and employees make no representation, that any metals for sale will appreciate sufficiently to earn the customers a profit. The decision to buy, sell, or borrow precious metals and which precious metals to purchase, borrow, or sell are made at the customer’s sole discretion.