All kinds of silver suffer the inevitable impacts of weather elements, whether it is a set of silver cutlery passed on to you as a family heirloom, a dainty piece of sterling silver jewelry bought a few months back, or anything in between. Other factors such as perfumes, hair spray, hand cream, cosmetics, body sweat, and even some foods can cause this metal to lose its sparkle!
Before you resort to use any chemical-laden cleaning products and end up doing more harm than good to your silver items, try these simple, inexpensive, and proven methods. These can easily clear away tarnish and restore the brilliant silvery shine of your item in no time at all!
Here are 7 inexpensive and surprisingly easy methods that can help:
1. Aluminum Foil Method
This is a sure-fire method of getting your valuable silver items sparkling like new again! You’ll need:
• A sheet of aluminum foil
• A glass bowl
• Boiling water (1 cup)
• Baking soda (1 tablespoon)
• Sea salt (1 tablespoon)
• White vinegar (1/2 cup)
• A soft cloth for polishing
Lay the sheet of aluminum foil at the bottom of the glass bowl. Start by mixing all the dry ingredients in it and then slowly add vinegar. But be cautious as this will cause a chemical reaction! Now pour hot water in it and then put your silver items (see to it that the item touches the aluminum foil). Leave the silver in there for no more than 30 seconds and then take it out using a pair of tongs. Polish it with a soft piece of cloth and unveil your item’s true allure!
2. Ketchup
Yes, ketchup is a weirdly amazing silver cleaning ingredient. Ketchup can help you wipe the layer of tarnish off your silver items and restore its original gleam. Put an ample amount of ketchup on a paper towel, depending upon the size of your item, and gently rub all over the item. You can even use a brush with soft bristles for items with intricate designs. Let this layer of ketchup sit for about 15 minutes. Then rinse it off and dry properly.
3. Hand Sanitizers
Apparently, your regular hand sanitizers do more than just warding off germs. They are an excellent silver cleaning and polishing solution too! Take a few drops on a piece of cloth and gently rub the tarnish on your silver item. The result: a lustrous piece of silver! Silver experts also believe hand sanitizers to be an amazing alternative to the expensive silver polish available over the counter!
4. Window Cleaner
Among all your home cleaning products, window cleaner is a safe and efficient remedy for your tarnished silver. Just spray a little on a cloth and rub the silver item gently. You can also add a drop or two of vinegar to amplify its effect for heavily tarnished silver pieces. Be mindful of not damaging your item by using excess vinegar!
5. Toothpaste
Simple toothpaste can easily brush away the ugly tarnish coating from your valuable silver items. But make sure you choose a basic toothpaste with no whitening elements, crystals, and so on if you don’t want to end up damaging your precious silverware.
6. Cornstarch
Another amazing silver-cleaning hack is performed using cornstarch. Prepare a paste of cornstarch by simply adding pure water and then take this thick paste on a damp cloth. Lay this layer on the silver items and let this sit for a while. Now take a slightly abrasive cloth and rub this layer off, which will also pull tarnish out completely. It is a proven remedy for even the most shockingly tarnished silver items.
7. Lemons
Lemon water can rejuvenate your valuable silver after being tarnished. You’ll need to squeeze a tablespoon of lemon juice and add it into 1 and ½ cups of lukewarm water as well as a ½ cup of instant dry milk. Now put your item into this mixture and let it rest overnight and then rinse it off in the morning. You’ll find gleaming silverware to show off at the next dinner gathering.
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