Cleaning Your Trophy: What's Safe and What's Not

Whether you're displaying a lifetime of trophies and awards on your walls or storing some academic medals under your bed, it's imperative that you take care of them.

Cleaning your trophy isn't difficult so long as you know what to do and which products to use. Continue reading and we'll walk you through how to clean different types of trophies so you can make them last.

Silverware

If you own a silver or silver-plated trophy or cup, you're probably going to want to put it on display.

Unfortunately, exposing the silver to air and keeping it in humid conditions can cause the metal to tarnish quickly. Because of this, it's best to keep the trophy in a glass cabinet.

Storing it in a glass cabinet also helps ensure that it won't come in contact with other harmful substances like water or smoke. It's also less likely to become coated in dust.

You can also help prevent moisture damage to your silver by placing a small, desiccated silica gel in the cabinet.

If you have to store your silver somewhere like in a cupboard or in the attic or garage, you should protect it by wrapping it in tissue paper. You will then want to seal it within a bag made out of polythene.

Make sure not to use any materials that could react with the silver and tarnish it, such as a newspaper or elastic bands.

If you notice any greasy marks or fingerprints on your silverware, use a polishing cloth to remove them. In fact, it's a good idea to thoroughly polish your trophy once every month.

Move the cloth in a straight line across the silver in a single direction. Never use polishing cream unless the silver is already tarnished. And only use a polishing cream that's specifically meant to be used on silver.

You also shouldn't wear latex gloves when touching the trophy and never use any kind of abrasive cloth, brush, or cleaning product.

Pewter

Pewter is extremely practical and requires little care. Unlike silver, pewter won't react with air and it doesn't tarnish. It can become marked over time, however.

To clean it, simply wash the trophy in warm water and then thoroughly dry it with a soft cloth.

Don't ever put pewter products in the dishwasher though. The high heat levels can distort the material.

Plastic

Plastic trophies are meant to be practical and they are very easy to look after. To clean a plastic trophy, just use water and a soft cloth. You shouldn't clean it with anything that's abrasive because you don't want to scratch it.

The Importance of Knowing the Right Way for Cleaning Your Trophy

When it comes to cleaning your trophy, you need to know the material that it's made out of so that you can know the best way to clean it. No matter what, avoid using abrasive brushes and always handle the award with clean hands.

Are you looking to order trophies for your next event? Contact us today and see how we can help you!