How to Clean & Polish Pewter

An easy guide to get your pewter looking shiny

Co-authored by Guy Peters

Last Updated: November 8, 2022 References

Pewter is a soft metal, formed by combining several other metals together. On occasion, polished and silver pewter require polishing to keep them looking new, whereas oxidized pewter should never be shined. Polishing pewter is relatively easy, as long as you know the proper steps and materials to use. Luckily, we've got everything you need to know right here! From supplies to cleaning and maintenance, we'll teach you how to polish your pewter so it looks brand new.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Working with Polished Pewter

1
Use mild dish soap, a store-bought cleaner, or a homemade cleaner to clean the pewter prior to polishing. Before polishing your polished pewter, you'll want to clean it off. This will remove any lingering dirt and debris from the pewter.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Guy Peters
House Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.} You can either use mild dish soap, your store bought cleaner, or a homemade cleaner to clean polished pewter.^{[2]
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- Use a very soft cloth on polished pewter to avoid scratching or damaging the pewter. You can also use a soft sponge. Dip the sponge into the warm, soapy water.^{[3]
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  Guy Peters
  House Cleaning Professional
  Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.}
- Gently rub down the sides of your pewter to remove any unwanted dirt or debris. Use gentle motions as you scrub to avoid damaging the pewter.
2
Rinse and dry your pewter. Rinse off the pewter with clean water until you remove all soapy residue, or any residue of the homemade cleaner. Make sure to remove all soap or homemade cleaner, as leaving these substances on pewter can damage it.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Guy Peters
House Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.} Use a dry soft rag to gently pat the pewter dry.^{[5]
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- You want to make sure pewter is completely dry before you polish it, so you may have to let it air dry for a few minutes.
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3
Apply a pewter polish. From here, use a polish to give your pewter a lasting shine. You can either use your store-bought polish or a homemade version.^{[6]
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- Use a soft cloth to apply polish.
- Rub down your pewter using circular motions. Be gentle, to avoid scratching the pewter. You do not need to apply too much pressure.
- Keep polishing until your pewter has a nice gleam to it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Polishing Satin Pewter

1
Clean with warm water and a mild dish soap, a store bought cleaner, or a homemade cleaner. As with polished pewter, satin pewter should be cleaned prior to polishing. You can clean satin pewter with mild dish soap, a store bought cleaner, or your homemade cleaner.
- Use a rag to clean silver polish with your homemade cleaner, store bought cleaner, or mild dish soap. Make sure to mix these substances with warm water first.
- Silver polish has a grain, which means it has a texture made from small lines and bumps. As you scrub, make sure to follow the direction of the grain.
- When you finish cleaning, make sure to rinse and dry the pewter completely.
2
Determine whether polishing is necessary. Silver pewter does not require polishing very often. Usually, you only need to polish silver pewter every couple of years. If your silver pewter is starting to look dull, it may be time for a polish.^{[7]
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- Keep in mind silver pewter generally has a somewhat dull appearance. If it looks less shiny than other types of pewter, this does not necessarily mean it needs to be polished. Keep an eye on your silver pewter and know what it looks like normally so you can ascertain when it needs a polish.
3
Do a very light buffing to polish satin pewter. You should use steel wool on silver pewter. Buff the pewter very lightly as you polish to avoid damaging it. It should not take a lot of effort to have pewter return to its original appearance.^{[9]
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- Do not use circular motions with satin pewter. Instead, move the your steel wool in a straight line running in the direction the pewter's grain.
- Keep buffing the pewter until its restored to its original appearance. As silver pewter requires minimal maintenance, this should not take too long.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Preventing Damage to Your Pewter

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Make sure you know your pewter type before polishing. You do not want to end up damaging your pewter by improper polishing. Remember, oxidized pewter does not benefit from polishing, and polishing could actually be damaging.You should only wash this type of pewter with mild soapy water and then dry it.^{[10]
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Stay away from silver polishes when working with pewter. Stick to homemade polishes or polishes made specifically for pewter. Silver polish can be damaging to pewter. Never substitute silver polish for pewter polish when polishing pewter.^{[12]
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3
Do not put pewter in the dishwasher. Dishwasher detergent is very hard on pewter. As it can cause damage to your pewter, you should never wash pewter in the dishwasher. Always hand wash your pewter products.^{[13]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Selecting Your Supplies

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Figure out the type of pewter you have. Different pewter requires different methods when it comes to polishing. Before you polish your pewter, figure out if it is polished pewter, satin pewter, or oxidized pewter.^{[14]
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- Polished pewter will be smooth and shiny. It should already look somewhat polished prior to the cleaning and polishing process.
- Satin pewter will have a grainier finish than polished pewter. It is usually not shiny.
- Oxidized pewter has a darker finish. Products made from oxidized pewter look like antiques, and are darker in color. Oxidized pewter does not need to be polished. You only need to wash it.
2
Select a cleaner. For the most part, you'll need to clean your pewter prior to polishing. Usually, most types of pewter respond well to an all purpose metal cleaner, which you can find at most hardware stores. However, it may be a better idea to use mild dish soap and warm water. This is less taxing on the pewter.^{[15]
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- Some cleaners double as polishes. Check if your chosen cleaner can also be used as a polish, as this can save you some time.
3
Try mixing a handmade cleaner. A handmade cleaner can also be used on most types of pewter. If you would prefer to use something handmade, you can use vinegar and white flour to make a handmade cleaner.^{[16]
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- Mix a cup of white vinegar with half a cup of flour.
- Stir the mixture until it forms a paste.
4
Choose a quality pewter polish. You want to make sure the polish you use will not damage your pewter. For the most part, you can use the same types of polish on all different kinds of pewter. Some pewter cleaners, such as Brasso, actually double as polishes, so if you go with a commercial cleaner check the label to see if you can save some money and also use it as a polish.^{[17]
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- You can usually find pewter polish at a local hardware store. Well known brands include MET-ALL silver and pewter polish, Mash's Pewter Cleaner, and MAAS metal polish.
5
Make your own polish. You can also try to make your own polish, if you would prefer. You'll need to purchase a material called "rottenstone," which you can buy online or at a hardware store. You will also need boiled linseed oil, which you can also find online or at a hardware store.^{[18]
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- Boil as much linseed oil as you think you will need. Allow the linseed oil to cool until it's cold enough that you can safely work with it.
- Add rottenstone to the mix and stir. Keep adding rottenstone until a thick paste is formed. Once this paste cools, you can use it on all types of pewter.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you make pewter look new?

Guy Peters
House Cleaning Professional
Guy Peters is the Owner of MOP STARS Cleaning Service, a complete house cleaning service for residential and commercial clients, based in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 2014, MOP STARS provides regular, move in/out, deep, and commercial cleaning services. Guy has a BA in Finance from the California State University - Sacramento and an MBA from Cornell University.

Guy Peters

House Cleaning Professional

Expert Answer

Dish soap and water works best for cleaning pewter, but never apply the solution directly to the pewter. Instead, use a soft rag or a sponge.
Question

How do I know if something is silver or pewter ?

Community Answer

In general, pewter will be more dull than silver. Silver is generally shinier and cleaner than pewter products. Also, pewter tends to be weaker than silver.