Toothpaste can be a very effective cleaner for silver. The baking soda in toothpaste is what does the job. First, choose the right toothpaste. Do not choose gel toothpastes or toothpastes with tartar control or whitening powers. These toothpastes may contain chemicals which could damage the silver.
Wet the silver and dab a small amount of toothpaste on the area you are going to clean. (You may wish to test a small area first so as to see if you should be using toothpaste to clean your silver item.) Use a clean damp cloth and rub the toothpaste around on the silver. Keep rubbing gently until the silver is polished. Rinse the silver with water. As your cloth gets dirty, fold over to get clean areas. Once the silver is all rinsed, dry with a soft clean cloth. Repeat these steps on all the silver you wish to clean. On silver with intricate designs or grooves, you can use a soft toothbrush to work the toothpaste foam into the hard-to-reach areas.
