Silver not only contains long-lasting sentiment, but like most investments, also requires some routine polishing along the way in order to maintain upkeep and value. Keep things like your dinner party flatware and decorative silver picture frames in mint condition with these helpful tips and tricks on how to clean silver properly for the utmost longevity.

Of course, simply adding silverware to the dishwasher on occasion means no harm, but it is also important to remember that luxury silverware is a precious commodity that deserves special attention. Fortunately, there are multitudes of unique ways to take care of kitchen dining essentials.

1. Lemon & Lime Soda: Believe it or not, carbonated soda water with lemon-lime accents are a fantastic solution for keeping silver clean as a whistle. Pour this particular soda into a large bowl or pitcher, and then add the silverware to the soda water for an hour or two. Then, just rinse and wash normally after they have had some time to soak.

2. Aluminum Foil: This lesser-known technique takes a little more work than lemon-lime soda, but is well worth it when it comes to maintaining flatware.

• Boil a pot of water (approximately 1 liter)
• Add one tablespoon of baking soda
• Finish with 10” inch cut-off of aluminum foil wrap
• Turn off the stove and place silverware into water with the aforementioned
• Allow silver to sit for about 10-20 minutes
• Remove silver carefully from hot water and clean with a wet sponge

3. Laundry Detergent: The great thing about laundry detergent is that it’s not just for laundering purposes anymore. You can actually use it for many things beyond silverware.

• Find a medium-to-large sized bowl to line it with (you guessed it) aluminum foil!
• Fill 3/4 of the bowl with hot water from the sink
• Add 1 tablespoon of general laundry detergent in powder form (without unnecessary added scents, chemicals, etc.)
• Place silverware into the mix and let sit for 1-2 minutes
• Finally, rinse the flatware with cold water and allow to air-dry

That’s it! Keeping your silver clean and polished has never been easier. Do you have any other special “recipes” for cleaning silver? We would love to hear them. Tell us how you keep your most precious silverwares clean at Scully & Scully on Instagram today!