How to Clean Silver Jewelry at Home Naturally

I love silver jewelry! The trouble is, it can tarnish rather easily, which ruins the whole look. Luckily, there are many easy ways to clean silver jewelry. Below are some suggestions on how to clean silver jewelry at home, using natural ingredients you can find around the house.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Use baking soda.
   
   Note that this can be abrasive and may damage the silver if roughly applied, so it's best to use only on inexpensive pieces. However, it works really well.
   
   Mix baking soda and hot water to form a paste. With a cloth or a soft bristled toothbrush, rub the mixture over the silver.
   
   Finish with a rinse and polish.

2. Use aluminum foil.
   
   Line a cup with tinfoil. Drop in your jewelry. You want to be sure that the silver touches the foil. Next, add a spoonful of salt, and enough hot water to cover the jewelry. Leave it alone to soak and cool. Once cooled, you can remove the jewelry, and polish it.
   
   Alternately, you can replace the salt with baking soda, or with a bar of regular soap.

3. Use lemons and lemon juice.
   
   The acid in the lemon juice can rub away tarnish. Apply the lemon juice directly to the silver jewelry, and rub with a soft cloth. Alternately, you can use a wedge of fresh lemon, and rub the surface of the jewelry the same way. Rinse and polish.

4. Use toothpaste.
   
   Use a bit of toothpaste, and a soft bristled tooth brush. Gentle brush the jewelry, as if you were brushing your teeth. This isn't the best way to clean tarnish, but it's fine if the silver has just lost it's shine. Rinse and polish.

5. Don't underestimate skin oil.
   
   If you frequently touch or wear your silver, it will not tarnish. This is more prevention than cure.

Tips & Warnings

• Never store silver jewelry in rubber or plastic. This can damage it over time.
• Be sure that your silver jewelry is dry and protected from moisture.

[sonni57]

on 7/1/2009 I used to have silver jewelry I have no idea where it went.