How to Clean Silver? Home Methods That Work

Step by step

1. 1

   Prepare the aluminum foil bath

   Line the bottom of a bowl with aluminum foil, shiny side up, so it covers the whole base. Boil water and add a tablespoon of baking soda for every cup (250 ml) of boiling water, plus a pinch of salt. Pour the hot solution over the foil and get the items ready to go in. The solution has to be really hot - in lukewarm water the reaction barely happens.

2. 2

   Submerge the silver for a few minutes

   Place the cutlery or jewelry so it touches the foil, because that contact is what makes the reaction work. After a moment you will notice a faint sulfur smell as the tarnish transfers from the silver to the aluminum. Keep heavily tarnished pieces in for 5-10 minutes; take lightly darkened ones out after 2-3 minutes and check the result.

3. 3

   Make a baking soda paste for stubborn spots

   For tougher tarnish, make a paste of baking soda and water at roughly 3:1, until it forms a thick pulp. Apply it with a soft cloth and rub along the lines of the piece, without circular motions, which leave swirl marks. Rinse with lukewarm water and check that the tarnish came off evenly.

4. 4

   Use a vinegar soak

   A vinegar soak dissolves buildup and discoloration, so submerge the silver in white vinegar for 2-3 hours. For stubborn tarnish, add a tablespoon of baking soda to half a cup of vinegar - the mixture will fizz and lift the deposits. Rinse the items thoroughly with clean water at the end so no vinegar smell remains.

5. 5

   Remove light dirt with dish soap

   Everyday light dirt comes off most safely with dish soap. Add a few drops to a bowl of warm water, wash the items with a soft sponge, and use a soft-bristled toothbrush for engravings and crevices. This method does not scratch and suits delicate pieces.

6. 6

   Dry and polish

   Wipe the silver dry with a cotton or flannel cloth, because water drops leave dull marks. Finish by going over the surface with a silver polishing cloth to bring back the deep shine. If you do not have a dedicated cloth, clean, dry cotton without a coarse texture will do. A well-dried piece stays clean longer.

What to avoid when cleaning silver

Toothpaste gets recommended as a home trick, but it contains abrasive particles that scratch silver's soft surface and dull it over time. The same goes for scouring powders, hard sponges and rough cloths. For polishing, use only soft, smooth cotton or flannel.

Do not use the aluminum foil method on oxidized silver, the kind with deliberately darkened recesses, because it strips the intended decorative effect. Also be careful with jewelry set with stones and pearls, since vinegar and long soaks can damage them or loosen the setting. Clean such pieces spot by spot, just the metal, avoiding the stones.

How to store silver so it does not tarnish

Tarnish is silver reacting with sulfur compounds in the air, and moisture and cosmetics speed it up. Keep items in a dry place, ideally in zip-lock bags or a box lined with anti-tarnish fabric. Add a piece of ordinary school chalk or a moisture absorber sachet, because both soak up moisture and sulfur.

Take jewelry off before bathing, cleaning and spraying perfume, because those are what speed up the darkening most. Store special-occasion cutlery separately, wrapped in acid-free tissue paper, away from rubber bands and sponges. The less contact with air and moisture, the less often you will need a deep clean.

Frequently asked questions