Some toothpastes contain baking soda or other ingredients which are much too abrasive; even trace amounts can cause serious damage. Use polishes that are specifically formulated to remove tarnish from silver.








Some sources do recommend toothpaste if you for some reason can't get your hands on silver polish. However, this method should certainly never be used to clean valuable pieces of silver, since it can cause damage. Select a plain white toothpaste (not a gel) without the special whitening options. Take a soft, dampened cloth (old t-shirt scraps work just fine) or a damp sponge and put some toothpaste on it. Gently rub over the silver in straight, back-and-forth motions. Alternatively, you can wet the silver piece and gently apply toothpaste directly to the surface, which you can then wet again and proceed to polish. Do this gently. If you notice scratching at any point, stop and rinse the toothpaste off.













As the cloth or sponge becomes dark with tarnish, add more toothpaste to a clean part of the dampened cloth/sponge and continue gently polishing.













Rinse thoroughly with warm water and dry with a soft towel.













Some toothpastes contain baking soda or other ingredients which are much too abrasive. Even trace amounts can cause serious damage.
 Baking soda may remove stubborn tarnish, but don't use it unless you don't mind the risk of damaging the silver. It takes off a layer of silver along with the tarnish.









Make a paste of baking soda and warm water.













Gently polish following the directions for toothpaste above.
 The acid kills the dirt and helps it shine without damaging the silver.
 Commercial silver "dips" are available which can dissolve stains without rubbing the silver. Chemical dips work by dissolving the tarnish on an object at an accelerated rate. Dips are used by silver restorers when heavy black tarnish cannot be removed with liquid or paste polishes. Silver dips contain an ingredient called thiourea that reverses the tarnishing process. This can be extremely damaging to your silver if you aren't careful, so use dips sparingly. To use a dip, pour the liquid into a plastic container. Place the piece in the container and cover it with a lid, then let it soak for the time specified on the dip packaging. Rinse the piece well when you remove it, since traces of dip can eat away at the silver and cause pitting.









Contrary to what the word "dip" implies, professionals rarely actually soak silver in these products, or at least not for long. Chemical dips are wiped over the object with a cellulose sponge or cotton ball, as submerging the piece for long periods will remove factory-applied patinas and cause pitting of the object's surface. These surface defects will act like a sponge and more readily absorb tarnish-producing gases and moisture. The object may then require professional polishing to restore the original finish.Dips can potentially damage your silver and they will remove desirable patina. Dips also contain chemicals that are harmful to your health, so use this method sparingly or hire a professional to do it.
Chemical dips are made up of an acid and a complexing agent. Acids are corrosive and will damage niello, bronze, stainless steel knife blades, and organic materials such as wood and ivory. The ingredients can also be harmful to the user, which is why silver restorers wear nitrile gloves and work in a well-ventilated area. Chemical dips should never be used on objects that have sealed components, such as candlesticks and trophies with hollow feet, or teapots with hollow handles. Once the dip leaks into the cavity through small holes or imperfections in the joints, it becomes virtually impossible to wash the chemical out. For all the above reasons, this cleaning technique should only be used by qualified restorers., This is done by heating up an appropriately sized container of water and dissolving a large amount of table salt into the water. Use enough salt such that it takes at least a minute to dissolve in the hot water with constant stirring. Baking soda works as well. Shape a liner for the container from aluminum foil and place the foil in the container of hot water. Place silver that has been previously cleaned with soap into the bath (inside of the foil) for several minutes. The tarnish should dissolve away. Rinse the piece well when you're finished.

Be sure that the silver touches the aluminum, or else it won't work. The silver and aluminum, with the salt water between them form a battery, and when you touch the silver to the aluminum, it shorts the battery and a small current flows, allowing the chemical reaction to happen. This method is quick and better than a corrosive dip, but probably not as gentle as silver cleaning paste.
Beware of using toothpaste as a silver polish.
Use Baking soda.
Put silver goods in 7-Up soda.
Use a silver dip for heavily tarnished pieces.
Try an electrochemical method.
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