Homemade Silver Cleaning Dip

Clean silver with a homemade cleaning dip.

Tarnish forms naturally on silver when it comes in contact with items containing hydrogen sulfide, such as eggs, onions and rubber. Traditional silver cleaners tend to remove layers of silver along with the tarnish. Save money with a homemade cleaning dip made from common household items. According to Scifun.org, this process reverses the chemical reaction that creates tarnish leaving behind clean, shiny silver.

Things You'll Need

• Aluminum foil
• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 gallon boiling water
• Cloth

Instructions

1. Plug the sink and line it with aluminum foil, placing it shiny side up. Set the silver items on top of the aluminum foil, ensuring that each item is touching part of the foil.

2. Sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda over the silver and fill the sink or pan with 1 gallon of boiling hot water. Add more water and baking soda as necessary to cover the silver completely. Allow the silver to sit in the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Drain the solution and inspect the silver for any remaining tarnish. If any tarnish remains, repeat the process with more boiling water and baking soda.

4. Rinse the clean silver and dry with a soft cloth or towel.

Tips & Warnings

• Take care while pouring boiling water into the sink. Wear oven mitts to prevent steam burns while pouring.

References

• Scifun: Remove Tarnish from Silver
• Finishing.com: Polishing Silver with Aluminum Foil and Baking Soda
• Kai Silver: Silver Tarnish And Removing Tarnish From Silver Jewelry