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Polish and remove tarnish from silverware and other silver items
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You may notice your shiny silver jewelry or cutlery take on a dark tarnish over time, which is the result of a chemical reaction that takes place naturally. [1] X Research source Thankfully, you can clean your silver with nothing more than baking soda and water, and get rid of tarnish with the added help of aluminum foil. We’ll show you how to do both methods, and offer plenty of helpful tips along the way so you can get the deepest clean.
Things You Should Know
- Remove tarnish from silver items by placing them in a heat-proof container lined with aluminum foil. Then add 1 tbsp of baking soda (17 g) to a pot of boiling water
- Pour the boiling water mixture over your silver and watch the tarnish vanish. Then, rinse the silver under cool water and dry it with a microfiber cloth.
- Alternatively, rub the silver with a microfiber cloth coated in a paste of 3 parts of baking soda and 1 part of water, then rinse it under cool water for a quick clean.
Steps
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Line a deep, heat-proof container with aluminum foil. Find a container large enough to hold your silver items and which will allow them to be covered in water. Make sure it’s heat-proof, too, since it’ll be filled with boiling water in a moment. A kitchen sink works great, as does a glass oven dish. Then, line the container with a sheet of aluminum foil . [2] X Research source The more surface area you can manage to cover, the better.
- Or, use a disposable aluminum foil baking dish.
- Avoid using a stainless steel container, which can react with your silver and blacken or scratch it.
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Place your silver items on the aluminum. Set your silver jewelry, utensils, or other items in a single layer on the aluminum foil, shiny side up. Make sure that each item makes physical contact with the aluminum, and that no 2 items are touching each other. [3] X Research source
- Wrap larger items like cups in their own sheet of foil to maximize their contact with the aluminum.
- If your silver items are recently used or have superficial grime, hand-wash them with hot water, a microfiber cloth, and mild dish soap beforehand to make the baking soda method more effective.
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Add 1 tbsp of baking soda (17 g) to 4 cups (950 mL) of boiling water. On the stove, bring about 4 cups (950 mL) cups of water to a boil (or however much you need to fully submerge your silver). Once it’s boiling, add 1 tbsp (17 g) of baking soda to the water. [4] X Research source Give it a quick mix to help dissolve it.- For a stronger clean, also add 1 tbsp of sea salt, or 0.5 cups (120 mL) of white vinegar , or both to the boiling water.
- Note that you can also add the cleaning agents in later steps, once the silver is submerged in hot water, if you’d like to more clearly observe the fun chemical reaction.
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Pour the boiling water mixture over the silver. Slowly and carefully pour the water into the container with the aluminum foil and the silver, until the silver items are totally submerged. [5] X Research source Watch as the tarnish disappears and your items are returned to their original, shiny state!
- The silver sulfide, or tarnish, on your silver items converts back to a metallic silver thanks to the presence of the aluminum and baking soda, which strip away the sulfur in the silver sulfide. [6] X Research source
- Your silver may foam as it comes into contact with the water. That’s totally normal, and is a sign that the reaction is working.
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Soak the silver for 10 minutes, or repeat the process for a deeper clean. Allow the silver to sit in the hot water bath for 10 minutes to let the baking soda and aluminum really dig into the tarnish and remove the discoloration. [7] X Research source If the foaming reaction stops but your silver is still tarnished, feel free to drain the water, then add more to renew the chemical process.
- Remember that the water is hot. Let it cool for several minutes before you drain it.
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Rinse the silver under cold water and dry it with a microfiber cloth. Once the water has cooled, remove the silver from the container and rinse it under a cool tap to remove any residue. Then, wipe it dry with a microfiber cloth . Move the cloth in small circles to buff the silver as you dry it, polishing it and restoring its shine. [8] X Research source
- Pour the excess water down the kitchen sink to dispose of it. Throw away the aluminum foil, as it’s no longer food-safe.
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Mix 9 oz (255 g) of baking soda with 3 oz (85 g) of hot water. In a small bowl, mix together 3 parts of baking soda with 1 part of hot water to make a fairly thick paste. [9] X Expert Source Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist Expert Interview. 15 September 2020. Use a fork to stir the mixture until it’s a uniform consistency. -
Rub the paste onto the silver with a microfiber cloth. Place a dab of the baking soda paste onto a soft microfiber cloth . Then, gently rub the silver all over with the cloth, working in small circles to better target any grime or stains. Switch to a toothbrush for hard-to-reach nooks or crevices, rubbing the bristles lightly over the surface. [10] X Expert Source Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.- Use a light touch to scrub away any surface grime, but avoid any deep or forceful scouring, which may scratch your silver items.
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Rinse the silver under cold water and dry it with a microfiber cloth. Once you’ve rubbed away as much grime as possible, run the silver under a cold faucet to rinse away the baking soda paste and any residue. Then, wipe it dry with a clean microfiber cloth, working in small circles as before to also buff your silver to a nice shine. [11] X Expert Source Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.- Note that this method won’t de-tarnish your silver, but is great for a light clean, or to prepare your silver for a more thorough method.
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Join the Discussion...
I was recently gifted a family heirloom from an aunt of mine. It’s this really old sterling silver necklace and it’s cute, but it’s kind of... Read More
Start by making a paste with baking soda and hot water. Maintain a 3:1 proportion of baking soda to water. So, for example, you’d mix 9 ounces... Read More
Try lining a baking dish with aluminum foil and fill it with boiling water and a tablespoon of salt. If you set your silver in the water and move... Read More
Expert Q&A
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QuestionCan you use baking soda to clean silver?Alicia Sokolowski is a Green Cleaning Specialist and the President and co-CEO of AspenClean, a green cleaning company in Vancouver, British Columbia. With over 2 decades of experience, Alicia specializes in creating a healthier, green alternative to chemical-based cleaning products and services. AspenClean develops and manufactures its own line of 100% Natural, EcoCert® certified, and EWG verified™ cleaning products. AspenClean’s glass cleaner was voted Parent’s Green Pick 2020 by readers of the Parents’ magazine. Alicia holds a CPA designation and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Finance from the University of Toronto.Absolutely! You can make a cleaning paste from 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water. Rub this onto the silver with a soft cloth to remove stains.
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QuestionHow do you clean heavily tarnished EPNS?Toronto Shine CleaningCommunity AnswerThe baking soda method might be too harsh for EPNS (Electroplated Nickel Silver). Instead, try a mild soap and water.
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QuestionA pot boiled over and the liquid covered my whole stovetop and stainless steel. Very hard to remove residue. Any solutions?Toronto Shine CleaningCommunity AnswerTo remove hard residue from your stovetop and stainless steel, use a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Apply it with a soft cloth, let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub gently. Rinse with water and dry immediately.
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Tips
- If at-home methods don’t remove all the tarnish, your silver may be too corroded for typical cleaning. Take your items to a professional jeweler or silversmith to have them cleaned. [12] X Research sourceThanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Certain things like wood, rubber, paints, fruit or eggs, wool, or felt can make your silver tarnish more quickly so try to avoid letting your silver come into contact with these things.
- To prevent tarnish, wrap your silver in cloth and store your silver in an air-tight plastic bag between uses.
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Warnings
- Avoid using abrasive materials like baking soda to clean fragile or valuable items, like silver coins, as it may scratch the surface.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.gemsociety.org/article/jewelry-metals-overview/
- ↑ https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/how-to-clean-silver
- ↑ https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/how-to-clean-silver
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-clean-and-polish-silver-cleaning-lessons-from-the-kitchn-216832
- ↑ https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/how-to-clean-silver
- ↑ https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/technology/silver-tarnish-and-tarnished-claims
- ↑ https://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-silver-jewelry/
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-clean-and-polish-silver-cleaning-lessons-from-the-kitchn-216832
- ↑ Alicia Sokolowski. Green Cleaning Specialist. Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.
- ↑ Alicia Sokolowski. Green Cleaning Specialist. Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.
- ↑ Alicia Sokolowski. Green Cleaning Specialist. Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.
- ↑ https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/how-to-clean-silver
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To clean silver with baking soda, start by washing the silver with mild dish soap and water to remove any residue. Then, plug a sink, line the bottom of it with aluminum foil, and place your silver inside of it. Next, boil enough water to fill the sink, and add 1/4 cup of baking soda for every 4 cups of water you use. Finally, dump the baking soda-water mixture into the sink, and let the silver soak in it until the water stops steaming. To learn how to clean heavily-tarnished silver with vinegar, scroll down!
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