How to Clean Tarnish From Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is an alloy of 92 1/2 percent silver and 7 1/2 percent copper. Plated silver is silver that has been electroplated over another metal. Silver tarnishes when exposed to air. This occurs more quickly in damp and foggy weather, but is inevitable in any climate.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• baking soda
• aluminum foil
• salt
• toothpaste

1. Baking Soda: Apply a paste of baking soda and water. Rub, rinse, and polish dry with a soft cloth. To remove tarnish from silverware, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth and rub it on the silverware until tarnish is gone. Rinse and dry well.
2. Aluminum Foil, Baking Soda, and Salt: Place a sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of a pan, add 2-3 inches of water, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Add silver pieces, boil 2-3 minutes, making sure the water covers the silver pieces. Remove silver, rinse, dry, and buff with a soft cloth. This method cleans the design and crevices of silver pieces.
3. Toothpaste: To clean off tarnish, coat the silver with toothpaste, then run it under warm water, work it into a foam, and rinse it off. For stubborn stains or intricate grooves, use an old soft-bristled toothbrush.

Tips & Warnings

• Enemies of silver include table salt, olives, salad dressing, eggs, vinegar and fruit juices
• When using silver containers, use plastic or glass liners, where applicable
• Rubber corrodes silver, and it can become so deeply etched that only a silversmith can repair the damage. Choose plastic or cotton gloves for use during polishing