“Rinse utensils with hot water soon after use,” says Sara Carcieri, spokesperson for the Sterling
Style Council, “especially if your sterling was in contact with acidic foods, like salt, mayonnaise, or eggs, which corrode and discolor.”
Wash silver in warm, soapy water and dry with a very dry cotton cloth or a quilted paper towel.
To spiff up silver before setting it on your holiday table, use foaming Twinkle Silver Polish ($4, www.drugstore.com), “which requires
a lot less elbow grease than other polishes and is easier on your hands,” says Curtis-Michael. Carcieri says that Hagerty Silversmiths’ Spray Polish ($13, www.hagerty-polish.com) won’t get gunked up in the grooves of intricately patterned pieces, and that Hagerty Silversmiths’ Wipes ($6) are great for spot-polishing just before guests arrive.
When applying polish, use long strokes, not a circular motion, which can cause tiny abrasions.
