Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing 1989-2025
-----
Need Silver Dip, LIQUID silver cleaner
Q. I've been repairing & finishing musical instruments for 16 years. Does anyone know where to get "Quik-Dip" silver cleaner? I can no longer find this for sale anywhere. Or does anyone know of any other effective LIQUID silver cleaner?
Patricia K [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
musical Services - Winnipeg, MB, Canada
2000
A. Hi Patricia.
We didn't find "Quik Dip" either, Patricia; it's been out of circulation for many years. Thread 24937 explains that that formulation might not exist anymore and why. But you can stick with the current thread for a discussion of many currently available liquid silver cleaners ⇨
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
A. If you want a commercial product, H.J.Hagerty & Sons sells the dip ⇨
(same folks who make the polish). But it would have to be near black for me to use it. You will have to polish after treatment.
- Cobbs Creek, Virginia
Q. Quik Dip Silver Cleaner....I have been trying to find this for the last 6 months with no luck. The last bottle I have says the company is:
If anyone has more information, PLEASE let me know.
Sandy Beagle- Beiseker, Alberta, Canada
A. Found Hagerty. Works great (about the same as "Quik Dip" silver cleaner). I also found a product called Tarnco at Walmart in Calgary that works very effectively. Needless to say, after not having anything for sometime, I now have two sources.
Sandy Beagle [returning]- Beiseker, Alberta, Canada
Q. I too am desperately looking for a quick dip silver cleaner. If Noxon is no longer available, is there another product that is the equivalent?
Sincerely.,
Tina P [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Daytona Beach, Florida
2002
Ed. note: Hagerty
⇦ this on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil links]
or other dips may work, Tina, but it is possible that the very old Noxon formulation might have had chemicals that are no longer considered safe enough.
I am very sorry Quik-Dip can no longer be found. I had a small bottle and cleaned my silver with it, my silver looked great. I had to call a friend to tell her about it and how it cleaned in such a sort time, well we both thought we would be able to purchase it some where local, but when I went on the internet I was surprised to learn they don't make it any more (like always -- when a household item is useful they stop making it, and it is a big loss).
- Omaha, Nebraska
2005
A. You can also get silver dip online from walshbrothers.co.uk (in the US too, I think, as it has prices in both US dollars and GB Pounds). I've had no problems ordering stuff from US companies and getting it delivered to the UK, so I don't see why it shouldn't work the other way round...
LJ Ve- Hampshire, UK
Noxon 7 ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] is available at Bed Bath and Beyond... not the dip but a 7 metal polish. cleans and shines...but, I do not see silver listed as a metal it cleans...
Another product made in CA a few years ago...stated on the label it had cancerous potential...I can't remember the name of it..but I will stick with Baking Soda and Aluminum and Hot Water.
Isis H [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Montague, New Jersey
Ed. note: Noxon 7 is long discontinued and those who have old stocks are only offering it at boutique prices.
For more about electrolytic cleaning of silver (with baking soda, aluminum, and hot water), please see threads 47/85, 146/23 or 343/14.
A. I read this site with great interest. I had just done a search for a silver cleaner that I used to but at my local grocery store. I can't find it in a store anywhere so I decided to try my luck at searching the net. Wow. I found it. The silver solution that I use is called Instant-Dip Silver cleaner. I have been using it for years and works when nothing else will. Just go to Google and do a search and it will take you right to the site. I keep a small jar and a paint brush under my sink for fast polishing.The gallon container is the best bet. Happy polishing.
Jeanne D [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]Education - Ft.Myers, Florida
2006
Ed. update Jan. 2025: This vintage product appears to be unavailable anywhere anymore. Old advertising items are available on eBay, but not the product. There are, however, several other brands of instant silver dips available.
I worked in a fine jewelry store for 11 years and dipping your silver jewelry in liquid silver cleaner is not recommended. It will make your jewelry tacky over time. It is much better to use a polishing cloth on your jewelry.
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
2006
A. You can still get liquid Quick Dip at the Bay. They sell it over by the silverware and silver trays.
Mary R [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Kamloops, BC, Canada
2007
A. I sell sterling at jewelry shows and have tried many products.
The best product for your situation is the Hagerty "Silversmiths' Spray Polish" ⇨
You will need to use it outside or in a well ventilated area. Just spray it on and wait for it to dry to a white powder. Then it just wipes away. I use this product on stones incl pearls and have never had a problem with it. Unlike other people here I never use any of the dips because I have not found one that will not damage jewelry. Paste cleaners are all excellent but obviously you want something that is fast and this spray cleaner will do the trick.
Phil Hamby- Atlanta, Georgia
April 13, 2009
Q. I inherited the FB Rogers Silver Co 1883 Butter Dish (273) that my grandmother thought was an ashtray and had in her collection. It is horribly tarnished and using a silver cloth on it is taking ALOT of work. What is the best way to care for what I have recently learned is silver plate?!
Kimm Scottcollector - Orange, California
January 19, 2010
Q. Hi, Everyone, my name is Patsy and I am a homemaker in North Carolina. I have read with great interest all the comments here and came the closest (I thought) to an answer to the puzzle of my silver-plated tea-and-coffee set. The set fell into disuse a number of years ago and got shifted from place to place, acquiring, in the process, a good build-up of tarnish. When I finally decided to tackle it this week, I got out the Wrights Silver Cream ⇨
and started on the teapot. The black came off, with much labor; but what was left was a shiny, smooth, brassy color. I thought I must have done something wrong and was afraid to try the other pieces, but I did, starting next on the coffee pot. It came out really nice and I was encouraged, though a little perplexed. Next I tried the sugar bowl, and it came out brassy, like the teapot! It was too late to turn back, so I set to work on the cream pot and it came out beautifully, just like the coffee pot! I was so hopeful when I found this wonderful forum and read all of your comments, and I tried the baking soda/boiling water/aluminum foil method on the brassy pieces. It didn't work, though I tried it more than once, adding some salt and a dryer sheet in later attempts, as that had been suggested, too. Does anyone have any idea why two of the pieces came out so well while the other two developed the brassy color? I looked a lot online to find someone who knew why the brass-looking finish came out on those two pieces, but haven't been able to turn up a thing. You all seemed more knowledgeable and hopeful to me than anywhere else I've looked, so I thought I would seek your help. Thanks for taking the time to look into my problem! I've really enjoyed reading the forum; in fact, I've read all of your responses twice!
Hobbyist - Julian, North Carolina, USA
October 12, 2011
A. Hi, Patsy.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it sure sounds like your tea set is made of silver plated brass and the silver plating has worn off over the years. You can try a resilvering solution, see our FAQ: "Silver Plating at Home", but if this doesn't offer enough satisfaction you will have to send the set to a plating shop for replating.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Ted, thanks for your answer and your help! I honestly feared as much; but as I am a rookie in the matter of silver cleaning I needed someone "in the know" to verify. You must be a mind-reader, too; my next thought would have been to ask if anyone knew about re-plating, and you gave me the article and the links for all the information I needed. I've read it and find it very helpful, and hopeful! I'd really like to see this set restored, as it was a gift from my mother-in-law, now deceased, who was a very dear friend. Thanks again! I've really enjoyed reading this forum!
- Julian, North Carolina, USA
Q. I am hoping to find where I can purchase the SMC Silver Care cream to use after I have used the SMC Cleaning Plate. I purchased the plate and cream several years ago and hope to be able to get more cream. The company was Special Metal Cleaners, Inc. Fairmont NE 68354.
Thank You.
- spirit Lake Iowa
November 17, 2014
A. Hi Eulyn. To be realistic, if Google can't find SMC they're probably out of business. But there are many silver polishes. Haggerty Silver Polish was recommended on this page, and Wrights Silver Cream ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] has been recommended on other threads. Cape Cod polishin cloths ⇦[this on eBay or Amazon affil links] , or similar, is another possibility. Good luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I bought a pendant that is sterling but had that ugly black fake antique-ing added to it, which I really don't like. I used the stinky sulfur smelling dip stuff to remove it, but maybe went too far and now it's a flat white-ish color. Any suggestions on how to polish it up now that I got the ugly fake tarnish off? Hope I didn't ruin it :-(
Marianne Lower- Clearwater, Florida, USA
May 25, 2015
A. Hi Marianne. I'm not 100% sure what you mean by the "stinky sulfur smelling-dip stuff". Liver of sulfur is "stinky sulfur smelling-dip stuff", and is used to deliberately tarnish silver -- not to remove tarnish.
But maybe the commercial silver polish you are using is converting enough tarnish back into sulfur that it's offensive? I don't know the validity but some readers say putting a dryer sheet in the solution will remove the sulfur smell. And do it with good ventilation.
Although tarnish can mask the shine to some extent, shine is more a property of the topography -- in other words the surface being matte rather than highly polished. Your silver should be polishable but it's hard to know whether that can be achieved through gentle rubbing with silver polish or whether you'll need mechanical assistance like a buffing machine.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread