Cleaning Tarnished Silverware

You can clean tarnish off silverware with aluminum and baking soda.

Silverware tarnishes over time, darkening and becoming black in color. Silver reacts with sulfur in the air to form silver sulfide, which is what blackens the surface. The tarnish on silverware can be cleaned off with a polish, but that requires a decent amount of elbow grease. Fortunately, you can easily clean the tarnish off silverware with a few common household items.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Small pot
• Baking sheet
• Aluminum foil
• Baking soda
• Mild dish detergent
• Sponge
• Lint-free cloth

1. Wash silverware to remove dirt, dust, grease and debris before attempting to remove tarnish. Use a mild dish soap, a sponge and warm water. Rinse thoroughly under cool water.

2. Boil 2 cups of water. Put 2 tablespoons of baking soda into the boiling water and allow it to dissolve completely.

3. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the tarnished silverware on the foil-lined baking sheet.

4. Pour the hot water and baking soda mixture over the top of the tarnished silverware. The silverware should be covered with the liquid and evenly spread across the tray so each piece has contact with the aluminum foil.

5. Allow the silverware to soak in the solution until the tarnish is gone. Remove the silverware from the tray and rinse it under cool water. Buff it dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

References

• Mrs. Clean USA: Household Cleaning Tips
• "Cleaning Plain & Simple"; Donna Smallin; 2005
• Finishing: How Does Aluminum Foil Clean Silverware