Medieval silver-shine

Hi Willowmound - An old recipe calls for whiting (chalk) and ammonia mixed together to make a paste. Both items go back to antiquity. I suspect this was what was used most in medieval castles. Another old recipe for dipping (which can cause some corrosion) uses water, baking soda, and salt - again common ingredients known since ancient times. Hope that helps. Puma

And be careful holding it to polish it. Don't place it on a table and press down while rubbing it. Many silver goblets have bent or snapped stems this way.

And just soft-cloth rubbing can polish silver, according to the Antiques Roadshow.

fine wood-ashes will also do it

Victorian...

butlers used their thumbs and a soft cloth.

Badly tarnished silver from egg and eggy foods got the warm water wash in a metal tray with a pinch of washing soda added. This metal container was placed on the slow, low-heat side of the kitchen range and brought to simmer for five mins. That usually got the tarnish off.

For heavier stuff like swords and armor, sharkskin was used as an abrasive like sandpaper.

Willowmound said:

How would one go about shining silver before the advent of funny-smelling store-bought products?

Is vinegar involved? I have no idea. Cookies to all who can help.

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Here's what I got from "Canadian Homestead Cookbook" 1 tsp ammonia to a teacup full of water, apply with a rag. Good for both gold and silver.

Isn't ammonia pee? It seems like you could just pee on the sliver. Don't tell the guests!

Prawn, in my limited knowledge, pee is Urea, not ammonia. The kidneys (I think) convert ammonia to urea really quickly after it's produced because it's toxic.

Urine was also used by the romans to do laundry, with Camel Urine being especially prized.

People weren't so squeemish before Germ Theory.