Others Object and material cleaning

How to Clean Silver With Baking Soda

 
Mary Smith
By Mary Smith. April 3, 2022
How to Clean Silver With Baking Soda

Silver is a valuable metal from which countless items are made, from beautiful jewelry to cutlery and figurines to frames and a variety of decorative details. Over time, it tarnishes and darkens. The reason for this is pure chemistry: silver reacts with hydrogen sulfide in the air. If you want your silver items to stay beautiful and shiny, you have no choice but to clean them regularly. Most of the time, wiping them with a cloth is not enough.

This oneHOWTO article shows you how to clean silver with bicarbonate, a product that is available in every household. It is really effective, and your silver items will look perfect and shiny in just a few minutes.

You may also be interested in: How to Clean a Mattress with Baking Soda
Contents
  1. How to clean silver objects with baking soda and aluminum foil
  2. How to clean silver objects with baking soda and vinegar
  3. How to clean silver objects with baking soda only
  4. How to clean silver objects with baking soda and soap
  5. How to clean silver objects with baking soda and lemon
  6. How to clean silver objects with baking soda and salt

How to clean silver objects with baking soda and aluminum foil

This is one of the easiest ways to clean silver with baking soda. It is especially recommended for removing dirt from hard-to-clean carved silver objects. The combination of baking soda and aluminum foil dissolves the dark layer that tarnishes silver and, through electrolysis, attracts the tiny silver sulfide particles that actually tarnish the silver.

For the effective formula to work, follow these steps:

  1. Line a bowl with aluminum foil exposing the matte layer, not the shiny one. If you like, you can also do this in the sink.

  2. Heat some water and take it off the stove when you notice it is very hot but not boiling. Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda for each glass of water (about 250 ml). Be careful to avoid splashes that could burn you.

  3. Pour the water with the baking soda into the foil-lined container.

  4. Place the silver items in the bowl or container for 15-30 minutes.

  5. After the items have been removed from the water, they should be dried carefully with a clean soft cloth.

Aluminum foil is also useful in other situations, for example, if you plan to remove acrylic nails at home. Read on and learn more about this trick in our article on how to remove acrylic nails at home.

How to Clean Silver With Baking Soda - How to clean silver objects with baking soda and aluminum foil

How to clean silver objects with baking soda and vinegar

Even if it seems impossible, vinegar and bicarbonate will get the job done if you have charcoal black silver items. You must follow these steps for it to work:

  1. Fill a cup with white or apple cider vinegar. Then, add a teaspoon of baking soda.

  2. Stir the mix with a wooden spoon.

  3. Dip the silver in the mixture for about 20 minutes and let it soak.

  4. Once the pieces have been removed from the mix, dry them with a cloth without rinsing.

For large items, you can dip a clean cloth directly into the vinegar and baking soda mixture and gently wipe the blackened areas with it.

Did you know that vinegar has countless uses in the home? Check out our article on how to use vinegar in the home to learn more about all the things you can do with vinegar around the house.

How to clean silver objects with baking soda only

Making a bicarbonate paste to clean silver is an effective remedy, especially when cleaning small pieces such as rings, earrings or other jewelry, but also for localized and particularly stubborn stains. Follow the next steps:

  1. Mix some water with baking soda. The mixture should be 2 tablespoons of baking soda for 1 tablespoon of water.

  2. Stir until the mixture is malleable and takes on a consistency that is not too liquid, so that you can apply it to the silver objects with the help of a cloth.

  3. Do this so that the entire piece is covered. Leave it for a few minutes and remove it with a clean cloth.

  4. If you see that the stain is stubborn, repeat the process by putting a little more baking soda paste on the stain. Leave it to work and clean it after 20 minutes.

Did you know that you can also use baking soda to clean your face for a fresh look? Read our article on how to make a face scrub with baking soda to learn more.

How to Clean Silver With Baking Soda - How to clean silver objects with baking soda only

How to clean silver objects with baking soda and soap

You can create a powerful silver cleaning solution by combining baking soda and soap. Impress your guests with impeccable silver tableware by following these steps:

  1. Put warm water and a squirt of dishwashing liquid in a container or sink.

  2. Immerse the silver items you wish to clean and leave it there for 10-20 minutes.

  3. Remove the items and run a soft sponge (that does not leave scratches) over them.

  4. Also, in a separate container, put some of the same soapy water and add a tablespoon of baking soda.

  5. Remove the silver pieces from the soapy water and dry them.

  6. Then wet a cloth with the baking soda water mixture and run it over each item. You will see them shine in just a few minutes.

Dishwashing detergent is also great for removing difficult stains from your clothes. To learn more about it, do not miss our article on how to remove oil stains from jeans.

How to clean silver objects with baking soda and lemon

Even the most blackened silver can be cleaned with this combination, reaching even the most difficult grooves engraved silver might have. Follow these steps to restore the shine to your silver items:

  1. Put hot water and baking soda in a container lined with aluminum foil, a few tablespoons will do, but this time also add the juice of half a lemon.

  2. Let the silver items soak in the water for 30 minutes and remove the silver, drying it only superficially.

  3. Then apply the lemon juice directly to the dirtiest and most difficult areas. You will see them take on a greenish tint, this is normal due to the chemical reaction.

  4. After a few minutes, dip the pieces in the baking soda again for a few seconds, rinse them with lukewarm water (under the tap) and dry them carefully.

Lemon is an effective way to clean all sorts of things in the house. Read our article on using lemons to clean to learn more about the cleaning benefits of this fruit.

How to Clean Silver With Baking Soda - How to clean silver objects with baking soda and lemon

How to clean silver objects with baking soda and salt

This combination is also one of the most effective solutions for cleaning silver with accumulated dirt, which is not easily removed because the salt increases the action of the bicarbonate.

To do this, you just need to follow the same process of putting water and baking soda in an aluminum container or lining it with aluminum foil, but adding an additional tablespoon of salt. If the silver is filthy and blackened, you should let it soak in this powerful mixture for about 1 hour.

If you found this article on cleaning silver with baking soda helpful, perhaps this other post on cleaning nickel silver items will also help you remove dirt from your items.

If you want to read similar articles to How to Clean Silver With Baking Soda, we recommend you visit our Home cleaning category.

Tips

  • When cleaning silver with baking soda, it is advisable to do so wearing gloves to protect your hands
Write a comment
What did you think of this article?
1 of 4
How to Clean Silver With Baking Soda