May 2007
A silver polish wins the gold medal
Which silver polish is tops? We polished tarnished sterling silver spoons and forks and silverplated spoons; judged their
appearance; left them for an hour in air containing hydrogen sulfide gas, which tarnishes silver; then polished again.
What we found. Some polishes were better at brightening silver; all were OK at resisting tarnish. Liquids and pastes readily cleaned and polished. Wright’s Anti-Tarnish Fresh New Fragrance was best overall and a CR Best Buy. It brightened better than some polishes costing much more. Weiman Royal Sterling Tarnish Preventing was also a CR Best Buy, costing even less than Wright’s.
Silver polish can irritate skin, so wear disposable gloves when you shine. To keep silver looking fresh:
What we found. Some polishes were better at brightening silver; all were OK at resisting tarnish. Liquids and pastes readily cleaned and polished. Wright’s Anti-Tarnish Fresh New Fragrance was best overall and a CR Best Buy. It brightened better than some polishes costing much more. Weiman Royal Sterling Tarnish Preventing was also a CR Best Buy, costing even less than Wright’s.
Silver polish can irritate skin, so wear disposable gloves when you shine. To keep silver looking fresh:
- Wash items by hand, not in the dishwasher.
- After polishing, rinse and dry it immediately.
- Store it in a felt- or velvet-lined chest or bag.
