Most types of metal become duller over time. Fortunately, there are ways to polish them and restore their shine.
Silver
Silver jewelry can become dull or turn black over time. There are several ways to polish silver to make it look as good as new.
You can buy silver polish at most drugstores or online. Silver polish is a liquid specially made to clean silver objects. You simply need to rub it on the object with an old, soft cloth and the silver will regain its shine. However, using this liquid on objects with many small details or engravings is tricky, because the liquid can accumulate in the grooves and leave a white residue. Nowadays, you can also buy silver polishing cloths, which is the better option for detailed items.
Another way to polish silver is by using toothpaste. Just like with silver polish, you need a soft cloth to rub the toothpaste over the object. Make sure you've cleaned off all the toothpaste and that it hasn't accumulated in the grooves, as this will leave a residue behind.
Bronze, brass and copper
The oils on your skin, as well as water, will tarnish bronze, brass and copper and cause them to become dull. However, it's quite easy to polish objects made from these materials.
Most drugstores sell copper polish, which also works for bronze and brass. Copper polish is a liquid that you can rub over objects with an old, soft cloth. This restores the object's shine. If you want to polish an item with many details or engravings, you're better off using a copper polishing cloth instead of the liquid. The liquid is difficult to remove from grooves and can leave a white residue if not completely rubbed in.
Tomato ketchup (or tomato sauce or paste) can also be used to clean bronze, brass and copper. Tomatoes contain an acid that breaks down the tarnish on these materials. Small items can simply be soaked in a bowl of ketchup. Rinse off the ketchup after about an hour with warm water and mild soap.
It can be difficult to soak larger objects, so you can simply coat the object with ketchup and let it sit for an hour. After that hour, you can wash the item with warm water and mild soap.
Steel
Rust and small scratches can appear on steel objects when they are used. There are a few quick and easy ways to polish out small imperfections from steel objects.
Just as silver and copper polish exist, steel and metal polish also exist. This polish is a paste that you need to rub in with a soft cloth to remove small amounts of rust and scratches. If a steel object is very rusty, this is not sufficient. You'll need to remove the rust first, which you can find more information about here: Maintenance of steel and metal
A cheap alternative to steel polish is toothpaste. Toothpaste is slightly abrasive, which means it can gently scrape away small amounts of rust and remove surface scratches. It's recommended to try this first on a less visible spot, as some toothpaste brands are more aggressive than others. Use a soft cloth to rub the toothpaste onto the steel. Don't rub the toothpaste too hard, or you might end up with a shinier finish than intended.
Once you're done polishing your steel, it's advisable to oil the steel or use an anti-rust spray, so that the polished finish looks good for longer.
