Really...Who Knew?!

Isn't blogging great...I am always so encouraged and learn so much from each of you!  I was so excited to share a new way (new to me) to clean silver/silver plate in my post Cleaning Silver...Fun?. 
I have some new information and just have to share it with you. 

Martha from Lines from Linderhof left a comment and it was a good one!  She said you can clean silver the same as detailed in
my post by using aluminum foil.  So I had to try it!

I filled my sink with the recommended portions of cleaning solution and warm water.  Rather than using the Quicksilver plate I used aluminum foil.

I selected a tray that needed to be cleaned and placed it in the sink.  This piece was not badly tarnished.

After letting the tray soak for the recommended 2 minutes, I removed it from the solution...

And, voila'...it works!

The pieces below were very badly tarnished. (sorry, didn't take before pic's)

Each had one side cleaned with the cleaning solution and Quicksilver

and

the other side cleaned with the cleaning solution and aluminum foil.

Can you tell any difference from one side to the other?  Neither can I!  In 2 minutes there was basically no difference between the amount of tarnished removed.

Do I feel a bit snookered...Yes!
Mr. Heart was being so sweet and thoughtful.  He took me to the Southern Spring Show where we watched the Quicksilver product demonstration.  Knowing how much time I had just spent cleaning the auction silver and us both enduring the awful smell of Tarnex he gladly paid the $38 for the Quicksilver plate so I could clean  the remaining pieces without all the fumes.

WHO KNEW...
you could clean silver with Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda and aluminum foil?

Thank you Martha!  Aluminum foil, it's "a good thing!"
(Is that legal?  Well, her name is Martha and she shared a good thing!)

Please let me know you visited...love to read your comments!

I have since contacted Quicksilver and a company representative states that using aluminum foil to clean silver transfers aluminum onto your silver causing a build up on each silver piece you clean.  This damages your silver.  I think we should just let our silver tarnish and be happy with it...sheesh!  

Blessings,

Cleaning Silver...FUN?

After my post about Mr. Heart and I at the Auction, I received several questions about cleaning silver.

There is nothing fun about cleaning silver.  It is hard work and depending on the cleaner you are using, it can be SMELLY!

Recently I came across a product that was new to me and I love it! 

Below are a few pieces from the auction.  These pieces are not as badly tarnished as some that have already been cleaned. 

I have never taken the time to read the back of the silver cleaner I used to use, but recently learned that it has a cancer warning on the label.  Considering this information along with the awful smell, I went looking for another option and found a product that is new to me, but has been around for a long time...QUICKSILVER! 

Quicksilver is an electrolytic plate and though I don't understand how it works, I can honestly say that it does...and well!

For the Quicksilver plate to work, you will need some Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda.

This product is not available in all grocery stores, but is available in stores such as Harris Teeter.

To begin, you will need to add about 4 tablespoons of the washing soda to 1 gallon of very warm water.

I begin by using a gallon pitcher and add a few cups of warm water to the pitcher.  Then I add the washing soda and stir a bit to start the dissolving process.

I continue stirring as I fill the pitcher with the gallon of warm water...

My sink is pretty large, so I usually add 2 gallons.  So I repeat the above process twice.  Then you place the Quicksilver plate in the sink.

  To clean larger pieces a bucket can be used so the entire piece can be covered with the mixture, though keeping the washing soda and water mixture in proper ratios is important for it to work well.

When a piece of silver/silver plate is badly tarnished, the process will need to be repeated several times.  As you can see below, these pieces are very badly tarnished and will very likely need several cleanings.

Just insert the silver piece into the mixture, making sure that at least one part of the piece is touching the Quicksilver plate.  It doesn't matter how much of the piece is touching the plate, just so part of the piece is touching.  Once there is contact, the cleaning process begins.

Shown below, just the right side of this piece is in the mixture and touching the Quicksilver plate.  Within seconds the tarnish begins to disappear!

Below, the entire piece is entirely submersed in the mixture.  Can you see the darker areas that are taking longer to process?  After 2 minutes, the cleaning process is complete and Quicksilver won't remove any more tarnish on this piece.  If the piece isn't as clean as you would like, the process will need to be repeated.

After 2 minutes, remove the piece and place it in a sink with warm sudsy water. 

Wash, rinse and then dry.

One the piece is completely dry, you can start the process over.

Below is another piece to be cleaned.  The outer edge has tarnished much more than the center.

Below, the right side is in the mixture and touching the Quicksilver plate.  The tarnish is quickly disappearing.

I then placed the serving tray completely into the mixture, and within seconds the tarnish disappears.

The picture below shows the side of a candy dish that has been cleaned on top of a tray that is badly tarnished...what a difference!

The difference is amazing, so easy to do and with no messy pastes, smelly liquids and best of all...no elbow grease!  Did I say EASY!

Silver is so beautiful!

In the picture below, all of the pitchers, coffee pots, dishes and platters look so pretty now!

The bottom piece is a platter that is still covered in tarnish and in need of cleaning, not so pretty!

I'll clean this piece next...

Oh yeah, another great benefit of Quicksilver...

none of the silver is removed when cleaning with this product!

I hope you found this helpful.

Please let me know you visited and I'd love to hear your thoughts...

Blessings,

I got a little info forwarded to me after this post...Cleaning Silver Update ~ Who Knew?

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