Handling Sterling With Care

In pre-20th Century England, one of the daily chores of maids was to rub down the silverware with their bare hands to give it a matted, antique look.

Today, people are almost afraid to touch their sterling flatware. They store it in a silver chest and bring it out only on special occasions.

Yet sterling is made to be touched and handled often, says Jim Bissett, sterling expert at Tiffany & Co. at South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa. In fact, the best way to care for sterling is simply to use it.

“The more it’s used, the more beautiful it gets,” Bissett says. “It has more of a luster than a brilliant shine.”

Sterling flatware can be used every day. It can even be cleaned in the dishwasher as long as no other metal is put in with it, Bissett says. Still, he recommends gently washing silver by hand, then making sure it’s completely dried to avoid tarnishing.

Clean any silver that’s been in contact with salad dressing thoroughly. Vinegar and sterling don’t mix; any vinegar left on sterling even for a short time will leave a nasty tarnish stain that can be tough to buff out. When necessary, sterling can be lightly polished with a silver cleaner.

“If silver is used like it was designed to be used, it won’t need a polish,” Bissett says.

Moisture in the air or even the oil from one’s hands can cause tarnishing. When not in use, holloware can be stored in an enclosed china cabinet with anti-tarnishing strips that soak up moisture. The strips are available at most silverware departments.

To store flatware, wrap in protective flannel--never plastic or rubber bands--then place in that trusty silver chest.