http://www.care2.com/greenliving/give-a-natural-shine-to-the-holidays.html
Give a Natural Shine to the Holidays: Metal Polishes
By Annie B. Bond
I like to make my home as beautiful and welcoming as possible during the holidays, and one way I do this is to polish all the silver, pewter, and brass, so it reflects the light of candles. Here are the formulas I use to polish safely and without chemicals:
Silver
If you have a small job, the best silver polish is white toothpaste. Dab some on your finger, and rub into the tarnish. For bigger pieces, use baking soda and a clean, damp sponge. Make a paste of baking soda and water. Scoop the paste onto the sponge, and rub the paste into the silver. Rinse with hot water and polish dry with a soft, clean cloth. For badly tarnished silver, leave the baking soda paste on the silver for an hour or so, before cleaning off with the help of the sponge and hot water.
Brass
There are easy, good ways to clean brass without using a synthetic commercial cleaner that may have toxic ingredients.
Most commonly used kitchen cupboard or refrigerator ingredients that contain a natural acid, such as vinegar, Tobasco Sauce, ketchup, tomatoes, milk, and lemon or lime juice, will remove tarnish on brass. The tarnish washes away with an acid rub or soak. You might have to remove the lacquer cover if the brass is new. Do this by submerging the brass in boiling water with a few teaspoons each baking soda and washing soda (available in the laundry section of the supermarket). Once the lacquer has peeled off, polish dry.
Pewter
It is hard to clean pewter, but the tarnished look is part of its appeal. The best folk formula I know to clean pewter is to grind up a piece of chalk and add enough vodka or gin to make a paste. Massage the paste onto the metal, rinse, and polish dry with a clean cloth.
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add your comment »I am an Executive Chef at a Marriott and I use a liquid silver cleaner. I once bought an aluminum plate to be used with baking soda and it eventually turned our silver plate dark grey. I was told by a friend at the Grand Hyatt Washington to use Silvermate silver cleaner. They have used it for 15 years and it is the easiest and the safest way to clean and polish silver. i just really like this product.
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The aluminum foil and baking soda process turned my silver plate flatware gray! Please be cautious because the silversmith told me this method removed the silver plate off my items over time. He to me to buy silver cleaner called Silvermate. He has used it for many years and said it will never hurt silver, silver plate, gold or platinum. It only takes about 20 seconds to completely clean AND polish silver and it is non toxic. I hope this helps someone! :)
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Silver; line a pan with heavy-duty foil; sprinkle baking soda, and boiling water,immerse silverware and then dry with towel. A beautiful shine!!
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brass : flour, salt and lemon juice or any acid to clean it here and now
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silver : what about a piece of alumium foil in hot water. Dip it in for a minute, not much more.
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