How to Clean Fine Silver

Clean your fine silver simply.

Even the finest silver discolors and tarnishes over time. Certain foods, materials containing sulfides and even humidity can cause silver to turn yellow or brown. Cleaning fine silver, whether it's your sterling silver flatware or silver jewelry, can be done effectively with household materials, but avoid scrubbing it with anything abrasive such as toothpaste. A silver "dip" will clean most silver quickly and can be safely made at home.

Things You'll Need

• Glass baking pan
• Aluminum foil
• Baking soda
• Microfiber cloth

Instructions

1. Line a glass pan with foil. Place silver in the pan so that it touches the foil.

2. Pour hot water over the silver in the pan, submerging it if possible.

3. Add 2 tbsp. of baking soda to the pan. Rock the pan back and forth, allowing the water and soda to make a solution. Allow the silver to soak for a few minutes to an hour, depending on how tarnished the silver is.

4. Turn the silver so that the other side touches the foil, if tarnish remains on one side. Since the ingredients are nontoxic, there's no need to use gloves.

5. Remove cleaned silver and dry with a microfiber cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• For large pieces, make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it to the silver, but don't rub. Rinse and dry.

References

• Repair Home: Cleaning Silver
• Kai Silver: Silver Tarnish and Removing Silver Tarnish From Silver Jewelry
• Finishing.com: Polishing Silver with Aluminum Foil and Baking Soda