Silver is a lovely, elegant looking metal used to make a wide variety of decorative and utilitarian items. Whether you own a treasured family silver tea service or a new punch bowl, you will want to keep your silver bright and shiny. However, over time and with usage silver will tarnish. This is a guide about cleaning silver.
Here is a tip my mom gave me for removing that tarnish, if you forgot or just got too busy. Ideas for things that can be cleaned this way are: silverware, plates, things that are put away for holidays, literally anything silver or sterling, including jewelry.
Place a sheet of aluminum foil in a bowl, spreading and molding it to the bowl. Sprinkle the foil with salt and baking soda, then fill with warm water. Take any tarnished silver or "sterling" items and soak them in the water.
As the item soaks the tarnish will migrate to the foil. It is almost like magic. Take out of the water, rinse, and buff with soft cloth.
To think how much time and money everyone will save is exciting, but the first time you see this happen is priceless. Enjoy your clean silver.
Source: My mom, Luana McD.
By Mistie
Another way to use toothpaste is to remove grass stains from clothes. Put some on the stained area and scrub with an old toothbrush. Rinse with water, launder as usual. Both tips work really well, they are cheap and done without a lot of work!
By dwedenoja from New Creek, WV
By jayfeather from Australia
I am looking for home remedies for cleaning silver plated items.
By Carolyn from Albemarle, NC
By Shosha
03/31/2010
My two favourite methods:
Make a paste of lemon juice and table salt. Use a soft cloth to dip into the paste and rub on the silver. this works best if you're maintaining the shine.
If you have a lot of tarnish, I like Tarnex. It stinks like crazy when it contacts the tarnish (a bit like rotten eggs), but it's tolerable and it works fast and easily. I keep a bottle handy as well as always having lemons and salt available.
I learned this because I have several silver goblets that are used regularly.
By harrison2009
03/31/2010
I have used barbecue sauce. Just rub it in the silver and rinse off. Works amazingly well!
By Nancy (Guest Post)
10/30/2008
I have one of those electrolitic cleaners sold on television some years ago.The instructions call for "washing soda" not baking soda.You can achieve the same results with some aluminum foil, very hot water and Arm and Hammer washing soda. You can find the washing soda in the laundry product section in your grocery store.
Would anyone out there have the recipe for silver cleaner using the tin foil method?
By Nolasandy (Guest Post)
02/15/2008
This came out of the Times-Picayune of New Orleans: In a large glass baking dish, put in foil, shiny side up. Add one tablespoon salt and one tablespoon of baking soda. Add enough boiling water to cover. Tarnish will drop off of silver pieces. Remove silver and buff.
By CrafterMary
02/14/2008
I've cleaned old silverplated forks (to use in crafting) by lining a cake pan with a big sheet of aluminum foil, liberally sprinkling on baking soda, and pouring boiling water over it to cover, then let it sit awhile until the water cools enough to remove the items. Takes some tarnish off, but you still have to buff it all with a soft cloth to get it really shiny. Replace the foil to do more, as it darkens and stops removing tarnish. Though it works somewhat, I'd not really want to use this method for "good silver".
I have a collection of sterling silver napkin rings, which are almost all 100 plus years old. Most have intricate designs in the Art Nouveau style. I have used the aluminum foil/baking soda and salt in hot water method. However, I now have a cloudy white residue left in the creases and indentations of the Repousse Nouveau designs.
How do I get this off without scratching the silver?
By Barbara A
By Lucy Lethbridge
12/10/2012
I think the foil/salt/soda method is used for silver plate. You might have to resort to Goddards silver polish for sterling silver.
What can I use for a natural silver cleaner?
By Lisa
By Anonymous
10/27/2010
Toothpaste (not the gel kind) is what I use and you can buy it on the cheap at the dollar store. ;-) Just dab it on with a cotton ball or soft cloth and gently rub in circular motions, wipe off and rinse and you're done. :-)
How do I clean silverware? I am trying to polish it. You can mix something with Arm and Hammer cleaning soda. What is it? Thank you.
By Brenda from Orangeburg, SC
By Anonymous
11/30/2010
All you need is some toothpaste (not the gel kind) that you can get on the cheap at the dollar store. ;-)
Where can I get a reliable cleaner that will not etch/damage the original surface? Or how can I make a safe cleaner?
By Roi
By nkeyes
01/29/2012
Tomato Ketchup! the natural acid from the tomato works in an awesome way and is safe for the environment! Soak the item in the ketchup for a bit, softly rub with tooth brush, rinse and dry. That simple.
I have used the salt and baking soda cleaning method for cleaning silver. However, many pieces were so tarnished and old that they have what looks like a tarnish stain. I have used commercial products to no avail. Does anyone know something I can try?
By Susan
By Jilson
09/16/2011
Sadly, it could be that it is not residual tarnish, but just the silver plating wearing off. Unless you know for sure that you have pure silver, you may want to take one of the pieces into a jeweler's and ask their advice, so you don't ruin the pieces. (Even if they are pure silver, you may want to take one in to ask how to get it clean.)
Is there an easy or homemade way to clean silver and where do you suggest to sell for the most honest price? I have sold at jewelry stores in past, but that was over 15 years ago.
By Kat
By amber.bailey.75
04/17/2013
I did not beleive anything less than old fashioned muscle and scrubbing would ever work, But like all of us, I hoped! So when I tried this, I had little expectations. I was pleasantly surprised at the results. All you do is line your sink with aluminum foil, add to that 1/2 cup of table salt, 1/2 cup of baking soda, and a gallon of VERY hot or even boiling water and submerge your silver!
Now wait...in 20 minutes or so (when the water is cool enough to reach in and retrieve your treasures) you will be amazed! For the reallly really oxidized silver I use a product called "eagle One" also sold under the name "Never Dull" ( a lot of military folks will know this one, as it woks on medals, brass, etc, etc) It's 3.89 in your automotive dept at wal-mart! What a steal!..( use gloves, as it will smear fresh nail polish!)
Tips for cleaning silver: I have a collection of silver mustard spoons that are beginning to look a little tarnished and yellow. Does anyone have any ideas on how to clean silver?
Many thanks to you all in advance.
Julie (UK)
By lahlbrand
Take a deep pan of water and heat it quite hot. Add a piece of tinfoil with the shiny side up and pour a blob of salt in the middle along with a blob of Cascade Water Softener. Stir and just dip your silver for a few minutes and wolla, all clean. Rinse with warm water and dry. She was quite upset with me! =) (03/09/2005)
By Giagemgal
By
By ThriftyFun
From: gottfried
Text: I teach middle school science, and one of my colleagues, who thinks I know everything, asked why the following recipe works. (I was at a loss, so in order to continue to appear brilliant I need help!) Tarnished silver can be cleaned if placed in a glass bowl which has warm water, salt, and aluminum foil. I assume that in some way the Aluminum displaces the Ag, but, what is the role of the salt?
Author: Robert Topper
Text: I will try to confirm or deny the displacement theory. Basically, it sounds like the silver oxide on the surface is reduced by aluminum, and brought into solution. The salt raises the ionic conductivity of the water and makes it easier for electron transfer to take place (oxidation/reduction, as the other readers may not know, is the chemical term for the loss/gain of electrons from a chemical species). The way I will check out the displacement theory is to look up the thermodynamics of the situation, i.e., to check whether the half-reactions, added together, give a positive or negative EMF/free energy for the reaction. But I think you are right about it being a displacement reaction. Thanks for asking this question! I never knew this way of cleaning silver...now my wife is going to want me to clean all our silverware.
Author: jchultz
Text: The reaction is a redox reaction but not a displacement per se. The half reactions are Ag+ +e- ---) Ag and Al ---) Al3+ + 3e- When added together the cell potential is +2.48. This positive number indicates that the reaction will be spontaneous (the number is in volts). The silver oxide is reduced to silver metal and the aluminum foil is oxidized to aluminum ions. The salt is present to help the transfer of the electrons (usually called a 'salt bridge'). If the aluminum actually displaced the silver, you would not have silverware after you cleaned them...they would all be aluminumware! So it is the electrons that are being shuffled around, and not the elements themselves.
Source: NEWTON (05/08/2005)
By ThriftyFun
By Julie UK
By Claudia
I need to know a easy way to clean silver, is there a homemade recipe or what product will not scratch it.
Laureen from CA, Napa
Cleaning Tarnished Silver: I need a quick method of cleaning badly tarnished silver and silver plate. A while ago, I moved and then had surgery and by the time I unpacked, all my silver was badly tarnished. Nothing I have tried so far has been very successful, and I cannot stand or sit for long at the present.
SheilaMay from Bronx, NY
By Nancy
By Debra in Colorado
By Diana
Cleaning Tarnished Silver: I need tips for clenaing badly tarnished sterling silver.
Helen from Ridley Park, PA
By Beverly
By a-s-c
By jess_admin
By Mary
By Monique63
By jess_admin
I have a lot of silver pieces I'd like to clean up and use. What can I use from here in my home to clean them? I just don't know? Thanks for your help.
Diana from Brookpark, OH
By frugalmomma
By duckie43
By Kate
By louel53
By Spunkie
I am searching for a homemade recipe for cleaning silver that uses tin foil, baking soda and boiling water. Any help would be most appreciated!
What is the best way to clean silver without chemicals?
Years ago I was lured into buying one of those "but wait" products that miraculously cleaned tarnished silver. I had mediocre results and had to buy a certain detergent and something else to mix with it.
Instead of spending money on silver polish, just follow the following instructions:
What is the best natural way of cleaning a silver tray?
I need instructions for cleaning two sterling silver rings with baking soda.
What's the best effective way to clean old silver pieces?
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Do you have a tip, recipe or craft to share?
Cleaning Silver