Prompt cleaning is especially important when the silver has been exposed to certain foods containing sulfur, or those which are acidic or salty. In particular common foods such as table salt, eggs, some fruits, eggs, onions, mayonnaise, and vinegar are harmful to silver. When possible use a plastic or glass insert when serving these foods in serving dishes. In any case, wash your silver right away or at least rinse it well with warm water, and don′t leave silver sitting in dishwater that may contain traces of these foods.

Store your silver correctly. Beyond prompt and frequent cleaning, the best way to preserve your silver is to store it correctly.

Make sure each piece is completely dry before storing it. For silverware, wrap each piece in acid-free tissue paper or anti-tarnish paper. You can also wrap pieces in flannel (special flannels are made just for this purpose). Seal the wrapped silver pieces in an airtight plastic bag. Whether you put away your silver in a bag or you put it in a display case, a canister of silica gel placed nearby can help reduce humidity and ward off tarnish.

Give your silver a bath. Commercial silver “dips″ are available which can dissolve stains without rubbing the silver. Contrary to what the word “dip” implies, professionals rarely actually soak silver in these products, at least not for long.

Dips are generally harsh, potentially dangerous chemicals (both to the silver and to yourself), so follow the directions carefully and consult a professional when in doubt. You can, however, make a gentle homemade silver bath that gets rid of stains and tarnish by an electrochemical reaction.

For less rare or less valuable sterling silver jewelry pieces, you might want to consider a couple common household products that will usually work, but which may cause damage.

Toothpaste
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. In any case, be very gentle, and if you notice scratching at any point, stop and rinse the toothpaste off.

Jewel Jet Jewelry Steam Cleaner

Jewel Jet Jewelry Steam Cleaner helps you make the most of your jewelry collection. Wear, along with the elements, dull jewelry. This steam cleaner loosens up the dirt and grime that collects on your jewelry and restores its glimmer. Bring back the bling to your jewelry without visiting your local jeweler.

Blitz Silver Jewelry Cleaner

A new product for cleaning silver, silver bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings and almost any other silver product you can think of! This pleasant smelling, non-toxic silver cleaner uses the electro-chemical properties of the tarnish on silver coupled with the special trays and a top secret cleaning solution to literally pull the tarnish off your silver.