How to Clean Silver-Plated Jewelry

Silver-plated jewelry must be cared for properly or it may tarnish or rust. Caring for it means cleaning it regularly. While you can have it professionally-cleaned, it is less expensive to clean silver-plated jewelry at home. You don't even need silver polish or dips to do it. All you need are a few items you probably already have in your kitchen pantry.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Baking soda
• Salt
• Hot water
• Cold water
• Shallow plastic or glass bowl or dish

How to Clean Silver-Plated Jewelry

1. Mix together equal parts baking soda and water to form a thick paste. Dab this paste liberally onto your silver-plated jewelry and let sit for an hour.

2. Scrub the jewelry gently, using an old toothbrush and the paste. Rinse the paste off completely, and let dry.

3. Place a sheet of aluminum foil in a shallow plastic or glass bowl. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. of baking soda and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt onto the foil.

4. Put your silver-plated jewelry on top of the foil. Pour hot water into the bowl, on top of the jewelry.

5. Cover the bowl and wait 5 minutes. Remove the cover and take out your jewelry. The foil, baking soda and salt (which must be dissolved by the hot water) creates a reaction that removes the tarnish from the silver.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use a metal bowl, which can interfere with the reaction between the foil and baking soda/salt.

References

• Article on cleaning silver jewelry

Resources

• Article on cleaning silver with natural materials