Help! Did I ruin it? :(

Hi everyone,
I believe I may have made a grave mistake with a piece that I think is silver-plated. It’s a cocktail shaker I purchased from etsy with no markings. Unfamiliar with silver I went to give this the old aluminum baking soda hot water bath as it was VERY tarnished and I was planning on giving it as a gift. It was the advice I saw all over the Internet. The inside of the shaker however was spotless with that slight yellow/gold sheen and silver hue.
I put the shaker in the boiling water mixture. …nothing. I waited and moved the pieces around…nothing. Finally I did what I think ruined the piece, I added a little vinegar, but it worked! There were bubbles and a reduction of tarnish. After five minutes or so I removed the pieces and wiped them to remove the rest of the tarnish, most of it came off. HOWEVER. The insides of the pieces now have rust looking stains that won’t come off. :frowning: What did I do? Is this fixable? I’d hate to think I ruined these pieces with something too abrasive, but why wouldn’t it do the same to the exterior?
I’ve attached photos for your expert eyes… help! [/img]

  • Risa
    silver.jpg

Hello Rzarat,

I realize this is is a VERY old reply, but I’ thought I’d post it anyway… You didn’t ruin your shaker. Try some of these methods and let me know how it turns out.

Best of luck,

Jeff