How to Use Washing Soda to Clean Silver

Clean any type of silver with washing soda and a few other ingredients.

While silver has a classic and elegant look, it also tarnishes due to changes in the air. Leave your grandmother's antique teapot sitting out in your kitchen for a few months and you'll quickly notice that the silver turns a dark and ugly color. Numerous companies make products designed for cleaning silver, but these products are expensive. You can easily make a silver cleaner at home, using washing soda, which is similar to baking soda.

Things You'll Need

• Washing soda
• Dry cloth
• 8 cups hot water
• ¼ cup washing soda
• ¼ cup dishwashing soap
• ¼ cup table salt
• Strainer
• Clean container

Instructions

1. Pour the washing soda directly on the surface of the silver, focusing on areas with a high level of tarnish. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes and then rub the washing soda with a dry cloth. This should remove any of the tarnished areas of the silver, but you'll want to make a different mixture to fully clean the silver.

2. Combine eight cups of hot water, with ¼ cup washing soda, ¼ cup dishwashing soap and ¼ cup iodized (table) salt. Mix the solution with your hands or a spoon until everything is well combined.

3. Place a strainer over a clean colander and pour your mixture through. This removes any lumps or clumps of salt that didn't break down during the mixing process.

4. Pour the mixture into a pot and place on low heat until it slowly rises to a boil. Add your silver items to the pot and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and when the water cools remove your silver items and rinse off any excess water.

5. Create a stronger solution for stubborn stains by mixing equal parts water and washing soda. Apply the paste directly to the surface of your silver, rubbing with a dry cloth. Rinse off any excess mixture.

Tips & Warnings

• Alternatively, make a bowl from aluminum foil and sprinkle your washing soda on top. Then add your smaller silver items and pour hot water over the top. When the water reacts with the washing powder, it creates a mixture that cleans silver.

References

• Do It Yourself: Cleaning Silver FAQs
• Berkeley Parents Network: Cleaning Silver and Jewelry
• Gem-Fashion.com: How to Clean Tarnished Silver with Aluminum Plate and Baking Soda