Why You Should Store Your Good Silver with a Piece of Chalk

Raise your hand if you have a box of good silver in a closet somewhere — you know, to pull out for special occasions and holidays (like the big ones coming up). It’s not many of you, we know, but surely those of you who DO have silver have one burning question: What’s the best way to store the good stuff so it stays in tip-top condition? The goal is to prevent tarnish, which results from a chemical reaction between the silver and sulfur, which is a lot more common in your everyday environment than you think. Sulfur is found in air, water, wool, felt, and even rubber. 

While tarnish can’t be washed off with soap and water, it can be polished away — but it’s still smart to avoid it when you can.

Related: How To Clean and Polish Silver

To keep your silver in the best shape possible, wrap each piece of silver in either acid-free tissue paper or unbleached cotton muslin (stay away from chemicals, which can harm the silver). You’ll also want to do whatever you can to keep one piece of silver from touching another in order to avoid scratches. Once everything is wrapped, put it in a plastic bag, ideally a zip-top bag that reseals or a box lined with soft cotton (just make sure it’s unbleached). Note: Because wood can also cause a chemical reaction, it’s actually best to avoid wooden boxes for storage. 

But wait: Before you store it, there’s one important step. Put a piece of regular chalk in the bag or box with your silver! Storing silver with a piece or two of chalk helps absorb moisture from accumulating in the bag, which, in turn, can prevent tarnishing. Because the silver is wrapped anyway, you won’t have to worry about the chalk coming into contact with it — just sit back and let it do its work.

To prevent other sources of moisture from tarnishing your silverware, make sure you don’t store the pieces in a hot or humid area — like an attic, or a potentially wet basement. Instead, put it in a drawer, cabinet, or hutch where you can more easily access it. And again, don’t forget the chalk!