Sad Lookin’ Silver

We all have that tangled lump of silver jewelry sitting in a drawer, basket or box somewhere. 

I recently came across mine and was slightly saddened to see how tarnished it had become after a few months out of circulation…

My pile included a Links of London charm, an old silver bracelet, a Tiffany ring, a few pairs of earrings, etc.  I’ve also noticed that for whatever chemical reason, my body reacts to silver and blackens it after a few wears (I believe this has to do with the alkaline balance in my body – but I am sure someone smarter than I can correct me on that).

I kind of chuckle/snort/cry when I see silver polishing products.

They are so utterly expensive and don’t always work.

There’s got to be a better way.

Saddened that my silver jewelry didn’t look as beautiful as I wanted it to, I investigated the best, most effective way to clean silver that yielded exceptional results.  I was so excited.  I cleaned every piece of silver I could find in my house.  It was amazing, I felt really accomplished.   This doesn’t preclude other silver pieces, such as family heirlooms, silverware and service pieces, picture frames, coins, heck even silver bars.  I tested a few techniques out but this one seems to be the magic combination.  It can be used on all kinds of silver alloys, but cannot be used of other metals or costume jewelry.  Silver only!

What you’ll need:

1) 1 cup of boiling water

2) 1 tablespoon baking soda

3) 1 tablespoon white salt

4) 1/2 cup white vinegar

5) 1 sheet of tinfoil, shiny side up

6) bowl (I used a soup bowl but you can use a larger bowl or even a bucket depending on how much silver you have)

7) Polishing cloth (I used a microfiber cloth).

What to do:

Prep it

Boil the water.  While it’s simmering up, line the bottom of the bowl with the tinfoil, shiny side up.  I literally covered the bowl with tinfoil.  Then, add the salt and baking soda to the bottom of the bowl.  Add the vinegar slowly (prepare for the fizz) and mix everything together to dissolve the salt and baking soda.  You want all the granules to dissolve so that they don’t scratch your pieces (always thinking…).

Go Ahead & Wait

Add the boiling water to your bowl and then gently drop each piece of silver in the bowl.  Just let it sit, the chemical reaction does all the work for you.  If you wish, you can flip them over (like burgers on a Q) with salad tongs, just to ensure that both sides get exposure to the tinfoil.

Spit & Polish

Take each piece out carefully, being sure not to burn yourself, and buff it gently with your polishing cloth.  You should start to see all the tarnish come off and all the original glory of your silver come back!

If you have charms or stones, you can try massaging good old ketchup onto the silver and rinsing it clean…I don’t think this mixture is OK for enamelled charms (although I did it on mine – I was willing to take the risk).

See what I mean?

So easy, so cheap and so incredibly effective!  Enjoy this tip!

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691 COMMENTS

  1. Don’t forget that when you finally get your silver beautiful and shiny again that it is naked. It is subject to tarnish right away. Whenever my mother pulled out all the silver she would clean with Tarnex when it came out (I don’t recall if she did anything to remove the tarnish except the silver cream before that) and polish with Wright’s Silver Cream. That’s like waxing or polishing wood or anything else that needs protection. She also always kept the silver protected with special felt that protected from tarnish or sealed behind doors in the hutch. The sterling silverware was always in a chest lined with that special felt. I don’t know what it’s called but prevention is the key. Polish and protection from tarnish.

  2. I saw this video on using a rock tumbler for tumbling jewelry from Pamela Klien. I am going to try it on some “junk” silver jewelry I have – I’m not sure if the rotary tumbler will be too rough or if it will be safe.

  3. Coke works really well too..Soak for 10-20 minutes depending on how tarnished your jewelry is…Then rinse with hot water…

  4. Great article, but you forgot about the toothbrush and toothpaste method? That’s by far my favorite. All you have to do is to use a soft toothbrush to clean surface of the silver jewel. Scrub it lightly to avoid the scratches. It does wonders!

  5. Thanks for the info, Trisha! This method works. Still, can I clean my silver spoons/forks together with my jewelry or should I clean them separately? I heard silver is easy to scratch so I don’t want any surprises.

  6. My sterling silver jewelry as tarnished and black. I panicked. I found this tip and, as usual my skeptical self, doubted it would work. I was happily proven wrong! I watched my tarnished and black silver pieces turn back into shining silver pieces. I am a believer and I thank you for your advice.

  7. Hi dear,
    Thanks for sharing a great article about clean silver jewelry. Silver jewelry is lustrous when they are new and they go well with any outfit, not to mention that it can bring luster to the wearer’s personality too. However, like any other jewelry, their shine can fade from dirt and everyday wear and tear. Silver jewelry gets tarnished in the long run especially if it is constantly exposed to oxygen and sulfur in the air. When this happens, your precious silvers will look dull and lifeless. So, to restore their natural shine and bring back the life they used to possess, it’s time to clean them. If you can lay your hands on the right ring cleaner kit, then you won’t need different solutions for gold and silver.

  8. This is a freakin’ bomb tip! I buy tarnished silver bars and rounds at a discount and have tried other means of getting them back to their shiny beauty for resale, but nothing quite worked to my satisfaction until today. WOW!! AMAZING!! This will make me money. I put in 5 bars in this solution after trying to clean them last night from a different receipt and could immediately see the tarnish coming off them and floating to the surface. Thank you so much for a cheap tip that will reap 100x in return.

  9. I tried everything as far as a home remedies for cleaning my diamond & Sterling Silver Jewelry. I was a bit skeptical about this one, but what was I going to loose I had basically ruined my jewelry with all the others treatments. I tried it and it was a miracle worker for me compared to everything else I used. My jewelry looked beautiful and the tarnish was gone and the brilliance and shine was back again. None of the others were able to get my jewelry back to it’s brilliance and brightness. The others seemed to tarnish my jewelry worse each time.
    Thank you so much. I thought I was going to have to buy another Wedding ring. Never heard of this but I didn’t knock it, I tried it and I’m so happy it really worked for me. Thank you for posting.

  10. Only using baking soda might be a safer way for silver pieces.

    You have to be careful especially with gemstones. Vinegar is acid: it may damage stones.

    If you want to clean gold jewelry, then baking soda and vinegar might be a better solution.

  11. The article is well organized. I see the writer has a true knack for
    this topic. I like that theme, and I am in constant search of new pieces and the latest news.
    I really enjoyed that one, because it is filled with
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  12. I have three chains I wear every time I leave the house, just not when I am in the house. They got so tarnished they looked like they were bronze not sterling silver. I looked on the internet & tried a couple of solutions but none got my chains looking better. I even tried ketchup but they were tarnished looking the next day. I had to do this remedy twice, because the chains were so dark & tarnished, but now my necklaces look like sterling silver again. I will use this remedy the next time I need to clean my necklaces.

  13. Blown away at how well this works. Thank you! I had rock salt which I had to put through the salt grinder, still worked a charm.

  14. My cousin’s birthday is next week and I want to gift her a silver bracelet. I like the picture of the result when you cleaned your silvery jewelry. Thank you for the information. I’ll share this information with my cousin so she can clean the silver bracelet when needed.

  15. Thank you! I’ve used your recipe/instructions twice and it was perfect both times! Once on a bracelet that got hit with a heavy-duty cleaner. It was black in spots and I thought it was a goner. Saved! Thank you again, keeping this and sharing!!

    • How long did you soak it? It can take some time but it has cleaned silver I thought to be unrecognizable as silver. I just had to wait a couple hours.

  16. Ive tried just baking soda, water and aluminium on an English trinket holder I had, and it has turned it a milky white in patches…!!!
    Any ideas what went wrong?

  17. Thank you, Melissa, for write on this topic. I haven’t tried this as I prefer ultrasonic technology most for cleaning anything, especially jewelry items.

  18. Help! Have what seems to be Tiffany necklace (has the tag) that i bought at flea market so dirty didnt realize what it was. Have today used the foil baking soda and foil baking soda and salt methods also tried toothpaste and just plain baking soda paste. With lots of elbow grease also. Much improved but half a dozen beads have orangey looking areas that persist. Any ideas?

    • I’ve tried this method numerous times on sterling and although it did take a little off I still had to polish the crap out of it. The best I’ve found by far is Tarnx. Any tarnish disappears as soon as it touches the sterling.

      Tarnx: tarnish remover since 1967.
      For Use on sterling silver, silver plate, platinum, copper, gold, diamonds … “wipe rinse done”
      I must caution you, it stinks, smells like boiled eggs or an ex girlfriend or boyfriend

      WARNING
      Do not use on:
      Stainless steel, pewter, brass, chrome, zinc , aluminum, lacquered surfaces, pearls, opals or porus stones, Formica or synthetic surfaces

        • One thing I wanted to add. The only issue I have with Tarnx is the smell it leaves behind. This posted method, lemon or toothpaste helps with that however. Sometimes its a multi effort. With solid silver, I have even used my bench grinder with a soft wire wheel, then used steel wool, then a buffer on my Dremel. I dont need cleaner after using that method. This only works for silver bars or large silver pieces.. I have had good results on rings and large rope chains as well. I would not recommend this for thin rope chains, thin linked necklaces or similar bracelets as it may bend them or damage them. It may even break the links…

  19. I don’t understand the necessity of having salt, baking soda, and vinegar in the recipe. Considering that the baking soda neutralizes the vinegar and leaves you with salt water as the only byproduct, you’re basically adding more salt to salt water, then adding more water to the salt water. Wouldn’t it be just as effective if you cut out the baking soda & vinegar and just used salt, boiling water, and the aluminum foil? But then I never took chemistry so what would I know 🙂

  20. I wanted to let everyone know, if it has not been posted yet, that one of the things that can tarnish your jewelry quickly and badly, and turn it black….is LOTION!! If you apply lotion after a shower or bath, or on your hands through the day etc., it blackens jewelry. There is alcohol in most Lotion, and I finally figured out that when I was putting my hand lotion on many times a day after washing my hands, I was inadvertently rubbing it on my face and neck everytime, and also on my whole body after bathing. I had gotten a new lotion on sale, a top name brand, but it dried so fast I had to keep applying it, I could not figure out why my jewelry was getting black and spotty. The lotion had a very high alcohol content, they put it in there so lotion will dry faster. It destroyed a lot of plated jewelry, as well as tarnished solid. Many people who think it is something inside them, need to realize it might be something you touch, and then touch your jewelry while it is still on your hands. I do this with cleaning spray I use for my counters etc. as well, so beware of hidden alcohol etc. in products you touch or apply. TY..:)

    • Thank you Moxi, I have extremely dry skin and I must apply lotion on my skin right after a shower and I wash my hands several times a day, so my question is, is there any way to prevent the damage that alchohol does to any type of Jewelry, especially silver? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. ????????

    • Hi Mollie,

      I have always put the body lotion that goes with my perfume on every day for over 45 years and I have never had a piece of my real Gold or Silver jewelry or other jewelry tarnish or turn black or green. However, if I have too much acid in my body, maybe from too much OJ or too much lemon in my lemonwater that I drink every day or salty foods. (I rarely ever add salt to anything I eat), my ring fingers and wrists will start to turn a dark green or black, but my jewelry itself doesn’t turn or tarnish. I don’t eat anything salty or add lemon to my water for a day or two and “I go back to normal”. It could be your body has too much acid in it and causing your jewelry to turn black instead of you! Lol! *Something else to share. Many years ago my Hairdresser went a wee overboard on my highlights. One day at work one of my Loan Officers came into my office and asked why my hair had a green spot in the back. At first I thought he was kidding and he said he was serious, so I went to the restroom and I couldn’t believe it, he was right! There was a greenish-blue spot about the size of a silver dollar behind my right ear. I was shocked & embarrassed and no clue as to why. I stopped by my hairdressers on the way home and she was baffled too. The next morning the spot didn’t wash out! I got to work and the same LO came back in my office to see if I had figured out why my hair had turned green and sadly I said no. Two days later the same LO came back in my office and sat down across from me, after talking about a loan for a few minutes he got up and walked behind me to look at the spot and said Ah hah! He came back and sat down & said I know why your hair is turning green & I asked why? He reached over and pulled my Blue Pentel Liquid ink pen I had behind my ear! The tip of the ink pen was leaking on my blond highlights and turning it green! I couldn’t believe it! We had a good laugh & I learned a good lesson, from that day forward I never put an ink pen behind my ear! Hope you got a good laugh! 😉

      Vickie

    • I finally found a lotion that contains NO ALCOHOL! It’s called Keri and I had my pharmacist order it for me. When I had to go into the hospital, I was given a small bottle of Keri and read that it was alcohol free.

  21. Wow, wow, wow!!! Absolutely perfect, thank you. My sister bought me a pendant and chain before she passed away. It was so tarnished, now it looks like new. Cannot thank you enough ????????????

  22. I accidentally cleaned my silver wedding rings, in a silver cleaner, and left them soaking overnight. I was horrified, when I took them out, and am afraid they are ruined! They now look dull and the silver is flat and almost white. HELP!!!

    • I did the same thing to my gold wedding rings and they came out dull and white. I called a number of jewelry companies and finally found one that would polish them professionally (look for high-end stores). It was about $50 and a two-day wait — totally worth it to me. The rings looked better than before.

    • Omg just use a silver polishing cloth! Buffing silver isn’t new and people have been doing it for millennia now

  23. spray 2 coats of tarnish-me-not and it won’t tarnish! I use it on jewelry mostly but all my new china is sterling silver so I coated them with it as well… it’s been 8 months and my candle holders are still shining (with zero polishing) the spray can is travel size and you can order it on amazon for free shipping

  24. I clean my silverware by putting it in a shallow pan of water with a sheet of aluminum foil and a spoonful of baking soda. It takes only minutes on low heat to remove heavy tarnish even in detailed carving. I would be tempted to use this simple method on jewelry without stones

  25. Many of us find ourselves neglecting all the beautiful silver pieces put in our jewellery boxes. Due to this silver gets dirty and tarnish. Silver Jewellery gets tarnish if we don’t take care of these. Thanks for sharing a step by step process, looks good!

    • Thank God for lazy and uneducated silver wearers because as soon as silver gets tarnished they sell it cheap online and buy new. Then people like me buy it cheap, clean it and maybe resell it but usually just stock pile it. It’s amazing how many people have no clue how to clean silver. Not only that but people are buying fake silver like crazy thinking it’s real.

    • You item might have been silver plated and the bath removed the silver. Hope that’s not the case, because if so, it can’t be fixed.

      If it IS sterling silver, you might just have a lot of tarnish on it and need to repeat the process several times to get it all off. Follow the soak with buffing with a soft cloth to remove the last of the tarnish and restore the shine.

  26. I have two very old pieces of silver jewelry I’d love to try this on. I’m just afraid because one has a Tanzanite stone and the other has a stone that was made to look like a blue star Safire (don’t know what they did to the stone). Both are not porous. Do you think they’ll be OK? Thank you.

  27. I sell silver plate flatware online and I do this almost every day. I’ve done thousands of pieces of silver plate with this method. No way am I hand polishing a 70 piece set, and some buyers may be sensitive to chemicals. It works ALMOST every time. If something has crazy heavy tarnish that’s been building up since 1933, it’s going to have to be polished. I’d like to add a couple of notes: it may take several soaks to get the tarnish off, and the silver may go in stages of cleanliness from hazy grey to mustard yellow before it makes it to silver. Always change the foil and water with each batch. Cleaning the piece gently with dish soap in between soaks will help. Since I’m either doing a huge batch of flatware or a tea set, I do it all in my stainless steel kitchen sink. I line it with foil, add a cup of salt, a cup of soda, and a few inches very hot water to dissolve the salt and soda. I put down a layer of flatware, cover it with foil, then another layer, then more foil, etc (think lasagna) ending with foil on the top. I usually keep it to 5 layers. Then fill the sink the rest of the way up with super hot water. I crack the kitchen window to let the rotten egg (sulpher) smell out and walk away. I’ve left pieces soaking for hours and hours, and nothing was ever damaged. Then drain, toss the foil, wash the flatware in some soapy water, drop it in rinse water with a couple tablespoons of vinegar (helps with spotting), dry, and done.

      • I don’t believe so. Maybe not relevant to your question but all of the commercial cleaners specifically state that their products not be used on brass. Must be something in the formulas. Copper, diamonds, gold. All good. It’s a brass thing!

        • Hi. For brass you may like to use a paste of tartaric acid and dishwashing liquid. Rub article with it, you can even use an old toothbrush. Rinse well in hot water and dry well.

    • Thanks for the tip Andrea. I’ve got a sliver tea set and large plates of silver from my grrat great grandmother. They badly need cleaning so I will try in the sink as you say. I just don’t get why you need the foil layers?

      • The layers are there to make sure all surfaces come in contact with the tin foil. The tinfoil is what attracts the tarnish away from the silver.

  28. Wish i had taken a before and after picture of my Pandora braclet with the charms on it. My contact solution – Clear Care hydrogen peroxide spilled out of the contact container and the braclet sat in the solution all night. I found it so tarnished that it was almost black. I used this solution and almost most of the tarnish came off. Still needs a few more tries before it’s back to shiny silver. Thx so much!

    • I just used this solution for my Pandora bracelets, necklace, ring and charms. they were in need of a good cleaning. And my poor bracelets were so tarnished. this solution had them looking new, again.

  29. So excited! I was fixin to throw out a load of jewelry as it was so dirty looking. Now all but a few earrings and bracelets look great!

  30. I just had a royal ear bashing from my wife about the state of my silver wedding ring. I’ve been doing a couple of weeks of intense cleaning using various substances, which severely tarnished my ring. She said it looked like something I won at a fairground!
    I tried this technique and the tarnish dissapeared for me in less than a minute.
    I’ll be looking for other items to try out my new party trick on!
    Thanks for sharing this magic trickery.

  31. if you pickle vegetables, then you cannot use regular salt: you must use that which has no iodine in it.

    so, when you say to use ‘white salt’, i am not sure what you mean.

    do you mean the white salt that is iodized, or that like i use for pickling, meaning white salt without iodine in it?

    in addition, sea salt is white. morton salt sells it in fine grain, too. so what happens if i use white sea salt rather than iodized or not-iodized white salt from the baking aisle of the local grocery store? and this is important as a notice to anyone that uses sea salt as a flavor enhancer of food:

    you should not eat sea salt on all your food because we hardly ever get iodine in foods, but iodine is the one thing that strengthens your thyroid gland. if you are ever exposed to radiation, the only organ of your body that will help you is the thyroid gland. i think that’s why you do not see TV chefs using too much sea salt in their recipes. i only use sea salt on food at the maximum of one out of 3 meals since i love its nonmetallic flavor; however, due to the fact stated above, i probably only eat food with sea salt on it more like 1 out of 10 meals. iodized sea salt, by the way, used to be sold via amazon.com, up until about when i bought mine, which was approximately 2000. that sea salt does taste metallic, however.

    please clarify exactly what type of white salt to use. (i have never seen any edible salt of a different color, so it is not clear to me what ‘white salt’ is).

    • Karen, I think she means what most would call ordinary table salt. Also, as an aside, there are several kinds of “pink salt”, the most common being a Himalayan type found in grocery stores. Just saying.

    • I have a beautiful electic silver pated coffee urn, how to i clean it its very tarnished…..please help me!!

      • Make a paste of baking soda and water, and rub it in with a soft cloth. Don’t soak it in anything, it will ruin the plating.

  32. I noticed you mentioned “tin” foil but it’s it safe to assume, since it isn’t avaliable for purchase easily anymore, you meant to say “aluminum” foil? Just curious since the different metals would have different affects chemically…

  33. It worked a treat! Really pleased, just hope they don’t tarnish again. I cleaned my items with a silver cleaning cloth and it made them worse! Would never use one again. Thanks. ????

    • Hi Kim! Thanks for watching! White vinegar is best, but apple cider vinegar will work if it’s all you have. It will probably need to soak for a little longer. Hope that helps!

  34. How do I clean velvet=lined jewelry boxes? They are silver and tarnished but I’m afraid of damaging the velvet lining inside and in the bottom.

    • Tiffany and Co will Polish your jewelry anytime for free. And you can get it tumbled (makes it look new) for $15.
      When I clean my Tiffany jewelry at home, I use this method and then go over it with the Tiffany & Co Silver polish. Works great

      • Platinum is not white gold. Platinum is atomic number 78 and gold is atomic number 79. Platinum is more dense than gold. They look alike but are different. You are right about the cost, platinum is more expensive than gold.

  35. I just used this remedy today and it worked awesome!!! I can not believe how sparkling my Tiffany bracelet, earrings, and necklace got! I should have taken a before and after picture! Thank you!! Great tip!

  36. This also works on gold and gemstone rings to get out the gunky lotions and soaps that clog up the settings. Just don’t use it on pearls or opals or any other soft stones.

  37. Thanks for the top!! I had a pile of silverware to clean and started out cleaning with polish. I went online and found your tip and it worked like a charm. Than you again!!! ????????

  38. I just finished the process on my Tiffany bracelet, Tiffany necklace and Pandora bracelet and charms, it worked perfectly! Thanks because these were all items I had in the kitchen already…you ROCK!

    • Rub the baking soda on the frame with your hand then wipe it with water then dry it will be sooo shiny ! I did it so many times and it works really good.

      • Just bought a very old silver locket that was nearly black with age and grime. Tried rubbing with baking soda on damp cotton wool. Could not BELIEVE how quickly it cleaned up. Gob well and truly smacked. Cheers Rose 🙂

    • You should definiteley NOT use this method for turquoise. It will become damaged or dicoloured and lose it’s finish. Lapis Lazuli is fine because it’s much harder and has a different make-up to Turquoise.

    • For the chemical reaction to work really, you’re converting the silver sulfide (tarnish) back into good old silver and aluminum sulfide. The magic of chemistry!

  39. I will have to say I was doubtful that this was going to get my Tiffany bracelet cleaned, it looked horrible from the hot springs. However, it looks AMAZING NOW! Thank you so much for this advice! We visited the hot springs in Utah few days ago and my Tiffany bracelet looked horrible! I dropped it in your solution and it immediately came clean. So I went upstairs and got my Tiffany necklace that tarnished because I haven’t worn it and dropped it in and it’s perfect too. It cleaned it excellent! You saved me a ton of money from taking it to Tiffany’s and paying to have it clean there. I think they charged me about a hundred and fifty the last time I took my bracelet to be polished and cleaned.

  40. Just cleaned a tarnished second hand silver Pandora Tiara ring. Looks like new now! Thanks for the tip, worked a treat!

  41. Question I have a large silver platter which will be hard to submerse. Any suggestions on how to clean this. I’m thinking just mix the ingredients pour onto the platter and then lay the tin foil ontop.

  42. This is awesome! I have a ton of Sterling silver jewelry i need to clean. About how long is it supposed to sit in the solution? Thanks!

  43. Change your camera man – the video is very often out of focus o2…. I suggest to change the camera for a new model, because it looks that the camera is very old and is not keeping the focus – Very Bad job..!!!!!!

  44. This worked so well I really appreciate that video it made my bracelet look brand new. Really super helpful. Can’t thank you enough!

  45. It is sad that George Bush’s pronunciation of the the word nuclear became changed to nucular.(He lived with a school teacher?). The same acceptance is happening with the word jewelry. It has been perverted to jewlery. Look it up.

  46. You can use the same thing for silver flatware, but tarnish in the crevices enhances the beauty of ornate patterns. Therefore, silver polish should be used – especially for ultra expensive sterling silver.

  47. You can actually use a pencil eraser, sounds weird, but trust me, it works. It works just as effectively other cleaners and you don’t have to worry about ruining your jewelry.

  48. If you substitute 1 teaspoon of liquid dish detergent (not dishwasher) for the vinegar you can clean your gold jewelry. I have used it for silver as well and it comes out beautifully. Its great to get the gunk out of your stones, do not use for opals and pearls though.

  49. I have an easier formula that I use on a silver service. Foil in bottom of sink. Add table salt and liquid softener in a sink of hot warer I don’t measure, just pour in a lot of salt, 2-3 pours of softener. Lay pieces in sink. In a few minutes it is clean. Rinse, dry and polish with soft cloth. Works like a charm. Use to spend hours cleaning.

    • Try with the white pasty toothpaste and toothbrush. Then take mothers mag and aluminum polish and a microfiber cloth works amazingly….

  50. Excellent, I thank you very much. I’m a boot coin/jewelry collector mostly for recovery but now you’ve changed me a lot. The stuff that can’t be saved is recycled and the other is cleaned and given to my wife, 2 daughter’s, 4 sisters, nieces and so on. Christmas gifts and they think it’s new or brilliantly preserved items and I got it dirt cheap or for free at times. I am amazed and thank you very much again. Sincerely and very Respectively, Tim Mecca, Retired EOD Tech, USMC, 100 % total and permanently disabled – reading this you can see you gave me something to do and proud of the results.

  51. I just tried this on my graduated beads tiffany necklace and pendant…. the outcome is unreal. I though i was going to have to take it into the store to get it polished but this actually worked. I am stunned. It actually looks good as new, Thanks for the great advice!

  52. Hi! I just tried this on a silver ice bucket that I have….an art deco piece from England….It was completely black. I made the recipe leaving out the vinegar after reading a few posts about plated silver. I can’t make out the marks on the bottom of the piece so I wanted to be safe. This was absolutely amazing. I had been trying to polish it today with silver polish but the tarnish was very deep. I got nowhere in over an hour of rubbing. The ice bucket was in near perfect condition after about 5 minutes in this wash. I then rinsed it and proceeded to use the silver polish for a quick wipe to clear up the cloudiness. It looks amazing! I am thrilled and will use it on all of the other silver pieces I have!

  53. Best advie I have had in years I’m 61 years old and a jewelry collector. All of these suggestions work great. Years ago we were told to use ammonia mixed with detergent. Just a little ammonia. Really makes your diamonds shine but it’s just too harsh. Just used a silver polishing cloth and very little silver cleaner. That was our other option for silver. This will save me so much time I’m so excited thank you!

  54. Do Not use this method very often it strips the silver plate off the pieces, so can end up with only bare metal, no silver. If you ask people who sell silver plate of silver they will tell you never ever use this method, since it will destroy the finish.

  55. I have a silver store so I do a lot of silver cleaning. I was told by a silversmith, while this method works, it is not good for the silver. Over time the baking doda, salt & vinegar can leave your silver pitted. For over 20 years I have used the tin foil sprinkled liberally with Calgon water softener & the hotest water out of your tap, once the Calgon has dissolved, place your silver on the foil, rotating if necessary. Voila, clean without any damage to the silver & it works beautifully! If your silver was black you may need to give it that ‘extra’ spatkle with a mild silver ckeaner, like Twinkle. Hope you give this a try!

    • I have not been able to find the powdered Calgon, only liquid (at Wally World); I’ve always felt the powdered did a better job on laundry. Suggestions where to find it?

      Also, agree with you on the pitting issue using caustic vinegar/soda solution. To be fair, though, I read recently that those two ingredients sort of cancel each other out, and become neutral. I still wouldn’t chance it, especially on plated items.

  56. Toothpaste is good too. But sometimes with these small link chains it’shard to come ccompletely clean. So I’m definitely going to try this

  57. Wow, this really worked! You saved me money and I was able to use household ingredients to do this. This was much easier to do than using silver polish creme or liquid too.Thanks Melissa!

  58. Melissa, I’m going to try this. I just spent a lot of time using Wright’s silver cream on my teapot and sugar bowl. Still more work to do on sugar bowl and creamer. How about sterling silver?

  59. This cleaned my Tiffany necklace so well! I left out the vinegar and the salt as I heard this will ruin the protective layer around the necklace and that the salt will cause it to corrode over time. Despite not using them my necklace still turned out good as new! 🙂 I will definitely be using this cleaning method again!

  60. i clean with bleach and always forget to take my bracelets off. so this article on how to clean bracelets and gave it a try
    Holy Cow !!! it was amazing. went from super tarnished to looking brand new in a matter of seconds.
    Thank you for sharing this with everyone. Will use it alot i’m sure 🙂

  61. yes fantastic – i do this all the time but use electric soda and boiling water of course in a metal dish with aluminium foil underneath.

  62. Thank you for this video! You saved my jewelry, and my wallet 😉 I even tried the solution on gold earrings, and they’re shinier than ever!

  63. DONT DO THIS! It was only a temporary solution. Everything tarnished far more quickly after I did this….expensive and inexpensive pieces alike. Now I wish I’d just taken my Tiffany jewelry to the store and had it professionally polished. That’s what I get for thinking natural is always better. It’s not!

  64. Leave the vinegar out of the mix, the soda,salt,aluminum foil, and hot water works by its self. It is the vinegar that messes up the plated silver. Just make sure the whole piece is submerged or you will have water lines that won’t go away. I saw this on Mr Rodgers neighborhood when my nephew was younger, he is 22 now and I still clean my silver this way.
    For storage I use small ziplock bags for each piece of jewelry and put them in a air tight food storage container. It is the air that causes tarnish. Pieces sitting out I just toss in the bath tub lined with foil, soda, salt and hot water every 3 months or so. As long as the pieces are touching the aluminum foil the tarnish will vanish.

  65. Hi Melissa, please let me know whether you have a solution for cleaning stainless steal cutlery that have become dark, mainly the spoons. I have been cleaning them in the washing machine for years, but recently the color of the spoons have changed to a dark color. Many thanks

  66. This method is not recommended for plated silver. It removes the plate too fast. It will work but it removes the silver plate and can ruin your piece. So unless you want to resilver your heirlooms it is suggested you use proper products for these items. Silver jewelry is usually solid silver but things like tea pots and salt and pepper shakers are usually silver plated.

  67. I was looking for a way to clean a sterling silver serving container and a stand for it. I wanted it to be a home made solution and you did that in spades. I will check your site your answers to my cleaning issues from now in. Thank you.

  68. Im an engineering student and we’re etching a pcb. I accidentally touched the tissue with some ferric chloride and then my silver loses its shine. Will this work? And oh! Will it go its original color?

  69. I have wild animals in siver.and they were black. I thought I would never get them to all there glory. I tried your remedy and I can say they are restored to beautiful silver, thank you very much.

  70. I had a silver snake chain which was completely black. I had tried numerous brand name silver cleaners with no success. Then I tried this and to my amazement, it worked. Thank you Melissa! The only thing I would do differently next time would be to use a flat bottomed dish so the chain could be laid flat. Brilliant!

  71. ???? Hi Mellissa
    I watched your video and you didn’t mention jewelry with gemstones. Specifically Sleeping Beauty Turquoise is what I want to clean. Please give me advice.
    Aloha,
    Barbara Hanson

  72. The problem is it takes off all the tarnish and the patina which on old silver pieces and silverware for the table are part of the value. Don’t use this method on valuable pieces or antique pieces, you will destroy them, and render them worthless except as silver metal. Sometimes you just have to use the old long method and then keep the stuff in silver bags or buff the pieces regularly to keep them up. New jewelry will respond to this but any dark areas in the ornamentation will be lost.

  73. I have been looking for a homemade remedy for cleaning silver. Your method looks like a
    great idea. I have some silver plated flatware and would like to know if I can clean it with
    your recipe.

    • Don’t do it. Using this method on flatware or serving pieces removes the patina and darkness in the groves of the design making the pieces lose all character. Use for simple jewelry pieces alone.

  74. I have a silver ring from James Avery that was completely black from tarnish. I just tried this homemade trick, and my ring looks completely brand new! I also have a necklace with a silver chain and a citrine stone that is also tarnished, but I didn’t put it in because I didn’t know how if the stone would be damaged. Try this it really does work!

  75. i tried it on my silver statues the tarnish vanished but then i boiled the statues in the same solution they have turned grey n dull. i made a fresh solution n dipped again n no chane they r still grey n dull.

    • You’re not supposed to boil them in it just place them gently in the water after its been taken off the stove and in the bowl. You might have removed too much of the silver coating as this can be rough on items not solid pure silvers.

  76. If I knew you, I’d hug you! Thank you so much! My boyfriend gave me this beautiful silver ring and the tarnish on it was starting to worry me! I tried this and bam! It all disappeared! Thank you! VERY helpful!

  77. An old favourite. Here’s the add-on; wrap the sliver in black tissue paper and it stays clean if you plan to no use it for a while.

  78. one thing about this method it should only be used once in a while because it can take the protective barrier off and cause pitting so only use it once in a while also the chemical make up of the solution can be bad for your health so use cation

  79. Silver plate came off the bits that touched the foil. *sad face* now it looks almost marbled. Tried traditional silver polish and all I can see is brass poking through the silver. Beware. I’ll be looking to get them re silvered. Worked well on the sterling jewellery.

    • Worked awesome for me and the 3 silver rings my husband have me. I went to clean them in jewelery cleaner and they immediately turned black. I was horrified. I found your recipe and they are back to normal.
      Thankful

  80. I just did this on two 40 year old heavy silver bangle bracelets I just could not get clean. all I can say is WOW. The minute I dipped the bracelet in the solution it literally changed. I had to strategically do it because one of the bracelets has stones on the top, its actually a cougar head with sapphires and I didn’t want to get it in the solution. However, inside and out it looks like I just bought it! Thank you so much, I want to pass the bracelet along to my future step daughter on my wedding day so I can’t be more grateful!

    • Did it really work? I have a Pandora bracelet and a charm bracelet I forgot to take off while cleaning the bathroom and now they are both black. I think the are both ruined? Is this a true comment??

      • Bo, Pandora doesn’t recommend using silver cleaner on their jewelry. Most pandora stores have a cleaner supplied by Pandora that works sort of like a rock tumbler to remove the tarnish and polish your bracelet. Most stores will do this for free! I work at a jewelry store, just sharing the knowledge I’ve aquired

  81. THIS IS AMAZING!!!

    I went swimming in a hot mineral pool amd it ruined my jewellery.

    I used this and its made them brand new again

    Thank you so much!

  82. I just tried this on a silver platter that was severely tarnished. I’m so glad I did and sure I saved some money. Worked amazing! Thanks!

  83. I dropped a ring into this mix and the effect was instant! I pulled it out within a minute and didn’t even have to polish. Didn’t work as quickly for the other jewellery but still very impressed 🙂

  84. Don’t ever clean silver coins. Doing so will lower any collector value dramatically. My husband is a numismatist and has been dealing rare coins for over 10 years now, it’s a family legacy passed down from his father. The biggest mistake people make is cleaning coins.

  85. OMG! DO NOT use this method on sliver plate! I wish I’d read all the comments first!
    I have just RUINED a client’s Victorian teapot (I’m a housekeeper) – the silver plate bubbled & began to flake off! – a costly experiment for me as I now have to have it renovated & re-plated!

    • Thank You for this info. I didn’t notice that I couldn’t do this so I considered trying it on my gold plate. Now I know better.

  86. I have just tried it with normal vinegar (brownish), baking soda and salt.
    No tinfoil, no water.
    I mixed baking soda and solt in a bowl with a little vinegar, let it for 3 hours (I don’t know if it was ready earlier) and then washed it with liquid soap. my silver plated chain is shining again.

  87. i just got a lovely silver ring from my wife and it got blackened when i went for a dive in the pool (ooops moment!). Let me try this out today! God bless your soul for this article :):)

    • And, do you mean the usual “aluminium foil” we use for wrapping stuffs up (like sandwiches), when you say tinfoil or its actually TIN foil (coz i cant seem to find any TIN foil around).

  88. I think it’s great! I have large serving pieces ie coffee pot about 15 “” high, silver tray, 20″ long and cassarole dish and lid. What kind of a vessel would do them?

  89. Soo thank you,i have a lots of silver melissa i ddnt use for many years because im lazy to tarnish it and couldnt find the best cleaning chemical. ♡♡♡♡

  90. Your tip is wonderful…I lost my favorite charm down a bathroom drain and by the time I found it and got the charm out it was so badly tarnished and ruined. I tried everything to clean it, nothing worked. In 5 minutes using your recipe it looked awesome. Thank you!!!

  91. If I had larger pieces do I still use the same amount of baking powder ,white salt, and white vinegar with and enough water to cover the pieces. Also can I use table salt

  92. That is Truly spectacular.bit restored a silver teapot to its glory in seconds that was black. Thank you so much.

  93. My husband gave me amazing silver necklace for my birthday last year and now it is covered with that tarnish coverage. I am glad to know that there is a way to clean this necklace at home with simple products! Thank you a lot for sharing!

  94. Accidentally wore my silver earrings and necklace into the mineral springs and came out with black jewelry. I tried some silver cleaner I had with poor results, but when I used this recipie they look like new. Thank you!!!

  95. How long is it supposed to sit in the bowl? I’m freaking out BC it looks worse than before, but its only been 5 min. Ugh idk, hope it works out!

  96. Just wanted to get tarnish off fork tines Silverplate not sterling. Put aluminum foil salt and baking soda in bowl, added boiling water. Dipped tine end of fork in and touched the foil,. Tarnish disappeared in a second or 2 and removed the fork and rinsed and dried fork Amazing. After the first I did 3 at a time. took all of 2 minutes Also did the bowl of a coupe of spoons that needed it So it works on plate Just watch the tarnish go the take it out of the solutio

  97. Hello Melissa. My name is Peta & I live in Australia. This really is the best way to clean silver, because if you use metal cleaners, some kind of abrasive suspended in some kind of fluid, what happens is you actually remove a layer of the silver. But! if you combine washing soda & vinegar there is a chemical reaction that will produce salt water. Salt water is not good for silver & counter-productive to what you want to achieve. The only reaction you need is between the baking soda & the aluminium. I promise this is correct. I have tried them all.

  98. Can’t wait to try this. I didn’t want to buy an expensive paste and thought it would be too harsh anyway for my delicate Silpada filigree earrings

  99. Salt scratches your beautiful jewelry! Just use the baking soda in the aluminum pan….
    with hot hot water. Pat dry with a polish cloth.

  100. Melissa, amazing!! I just cleaned a Tiffany bracket that I have won for 4 years and that was so tarnished, and I was skeptical, it has come up like brand new. Thank you.

  101. You give excellent instructions for this process. This old, old technique works great, but never overdo it; plated silver is actually a rather thin coating, unlike solid sterling, so you don’t want to reverse-electroplate it away! Nothing is more reliable than the old-name silver creams (and don’t experiment with dangerous dips). If you use your pieces, you don’t have to continually polish them, only occasionally. For silver-plated flatware, including jewelry, unused pieces should be kept in flannel with anti-tarnish strips inside a silverware chest. Your jewelry can be just as accessible there as in a jewelry box. Don’t trust the anti-tarnish cloth in old silverware chests; it’s usually already heavily loaded with contaminants through the years, and it is worth investing in a new well-made chest for nice silver. Always keep anti-tarnish strips (3M Co.) with them. Best wishes, and teach your youngsters to care for silver properly and with respect. When you pass on, they will continue to love your pieces.

  102. I have a lot of silver that I have to clean. Can I reheat the water/baking powder/salt mixture either on top of the stove or in a microwave and use it again?

  103. I know i’m really late for the ‘game’, but I noticed there were several comments about keeping sterling flatware from tarnishing. I’ve 100 year old sterling pieces that look bring new! I do keep it in a flatware storage chest, which helps to keep out the air–nothing fancy, just something you’d find in any department store that sells fine china, silver, etc. When I received it from a great aunt 26 ago, I polished it once, put a sheet of aluminum foil in the case, shut it and that was it! It looks like it was bought yesterday! A matter of fact, because it is a pattern that is still available, I’ve added some serving piece over the years and you can’t tell the old from the new!

  104. This is a great recipe. Instantly had ingredients at home and in 10 minutes had a clean locket I haven’t touched in 20 years!

  105. I just tried this on some small antique salt spoons and the rims of the salt sellers. It removed tarnish that the commercial cleaner I have did not! I used an aluminium loaf pan instead of lining a bowl. Also worked really quickly on some silver earnings (not too badly tarnished). Good suggestion Melissa!

  106. I just used this to polish my pandora bracelets after they were tarnished from swimming in a chlorine pool. All the tarnish has been removed and no chemicals were used! Thanks so much

    • I had the same issue..l. Wore my Pandora bracelet in the pool… I was so upset that I didn’t think to take it off… This mixture cleaned it better than the Pandora store did… Now that I revived it, I’ll be more careful…

  107. Thanks for this tip. Another page on cleaning silver gave a similar formula but with salt or baking powder as alternatives. It said that vinegar is not good for treating silver. (Wikihow.com)

  108. This really worked for me. I just did it. I cleaned a Tiffany necklace that had tarnished and it looks great now. Thanks

  109. Worked quite well on an old Pandora Bracelet my boyfriend’s co-worker gave me. She knew I love them and she said if I could restore her old one I could keep it! It doesn’t look store new but wow is it still shiny! I also placed the two charms she had on there (each with slight enamel coloring) and it cleaned those off great too! 🙂

  110. AW, I don’t have any polishing clothes, nor microfiber other than pillow cases… unless a terry-cloth towel will do just as well?
    I have a tiny star bracelet that would always turn black just after a few hours of wearing it… it probably was because my alkaline was out of balance, too. I’ve been wearing a necklace every day since a few years now and it hasn’t turned black.
    I just found some rings yesterday, so I hope this works on them, they are really tarnished.

    Also, I have some really old diamond necklaces that were set with tines, and I left them in Ammonia overnight and it seemed the metal turned some of the stones black… So I have no idea how to clean there, other than to bend the prongs off the diamonds and clean under… but then I have to set them all back… and I’m not sure if anything I use is going to be better or worse for the metal… I don’t think it’s silver, but then again I don’t know… I don’t see any markings on the metal.

  111. Amazing and had instant results on a silver New Years salt and pepper shaker that looks like an ice bucket with champagne bottle in it. Its gorgeous once again!! Thank you and Happy New Year!!
    Joyce

  112. Hi Melissa. I was wondering how I could clean larger silver items, like my silver tea tray, silver tea pot and cutlery, using this recipe? Thanks so much!

  113. My query is regarding the recipe. It states Tin foil. Can aluminium foil be used? I haven’t seen actual tin foil in decades. Also a warning if it has not been mentioned earlier, NEVER expose pearls to vinegar, it will dissolve them.

  114. Thank you, Melissa. This recipe worked beautifully! I am a jewelry maker and now have a great way to restore the brightness and shine to my sterling silver supplies. I didn’t have white vinegar on hand, so used rice vinegar instead. Worked just fine.

    Thanks again!

  115. Thanks for this nice tip… I do have items that turn yellow but my toe ring that I never remove, never changed its color nor any reaction happened… Do you know the reason why?

  116. Good stuff, Gerri! As you know, since the end of World War II, tinfoil is no longer made. However, “tinfoil” is A lot easier to say than “aluminum foil.” Also, when I tried your cleaner, I had no baking powder in the house, so I substituted baking soda. I’m not sure weather it was less effective, but it surely did work! Thanks!

  117. Thanks Melissa! I just tried this with a silver ring I’ve been wearing for over ten years (which really didn’t have much if any tarnish, but it looks much better now regardless; a Pandora bracelet full of charms that tarnished almost the minute I got it home, and a Paloma Picasso double heart infinity ring I got from my husband 7 years ago as a promise ring! It was black, and now it’s as perfect as it was when we picked it up at Tiffany’s! I can’t wait to attack my mother’s jewelry now 🙂

  118. Thank you so much for this tip! I am currently living in a country that produces a lot of silver jewelry for for reasonable prices. I love it! The problem is, good jewelry cleaner is very hard to find. I am so pleased to find this method of cleaning. Thanks!

  119. Any suggestions for a large jewellery box? I have one that looks like a big treasure chest, about the size of a bread box, and it’s looking sad. I can’t immerse it in a mix so I’m not sure what to do to make it silvery and shine again. Help?

  120. I have tried so many different thingsfor cleaning silver, some work but are a lot of work and messy. This is amazing !!! Thank You Thank You .

  121. I’ve been using this methods since…always, and I’m 57 🙂
    Never though used with tin foil and vinegar. Just warm water and baking soda works on any jewelry. Salt is not necessary as baking soda it is a salt. Vinegar may attack as silver is in alloy with copper, to make it stronger, and as we know copper easily tarnishes. Probably your skin darkens because the reaction to copper, your prespiration is very acidic and makes the copper go dark. I would recommend :stay away fro vinegar in this situation.
    I also succesfully use tooth paste and a brush to clean my jewlery, when I’m out of backing soda. Works wonders as well.

  122. OMG! I use to do this 35 years ago but forgot the “combination”. I think I learned in high school chem class. I had long stopped looking for the “how to”; the people I asked thought I was crazy. Than you!

  123. I’d lIke to do villeroy and Boch candlesticks and 3 tier high tea setting. How would the aluminium foil work in? Can I just make a huge mixture up in the laundry tub and soak them for s day?

  124. I do not recommend the vinegar. The acetic acid (vinegar) reacts with the sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to form carbon dioxide gas (which bubbles out), sodium (salt) and water. Salt and baking soda is all one needs for this chemical reaction to occure.

  125. Have just ruined sterling silver earrings by dipping them into commercial silver cleaning product along with other pieces. Used this dipping product with success for a few specific dangling curved silver pendant pieces nearly impossible to clean with silver paste. This time earrings came out corroded, other pieces were fine. Will follow your method from now on.Can you suggest how to remove corrosion? Many thanks, Jeri

  126. I have been using this method for yrs. Ever since my boyfriend bless his heart gave me his Mom’s store bought Jewelry cleaner with the best of intentions of course because I had a whole bunch of silver jewelery that tarnished and some even turned a pinkish hue. and I wasn’t wearing them either ! Some tarnished because of oxygenation being exposed to the air. and some from wearing the jewelry. He meant well but the stuff his Mom had made the tarinsh worse! So I did some research on the best cheapest no harm to the environment solution to clean my silver and this was the ticket..I’ve never looked back and definitely have NO regrets..Don’t waste your money on that store bought stuff when for pennies you can make this and not hurt the environment and I promise you beautiful results each and every time!! I am cleaning some jewelry as we speak! Happy cleaning !

  127. If you want a bigger quantity can you double or triple the ingredients? I have a silver tray & two goblets that are very tarnished.

  128. I wasn’t too sure as they still looked kind dingy but once I start rubbing them dry it all came off and they’re sparkly again! yay! I read somewhere to toss a few of those moisture absorbing packets that come in medicine bottles etc., in your jewellery box to slow the tarnishing down …now that they’re clean I wanna keep them that way 🙂

  129. Hey I am very greatful Melissa for you’re tip. I purchased 4 silver goblets and forgot to go to the store. I then googled and thought you sounded the best. I had awesome results and appreciated your help. I say if people are on this site for more then advice then they are #@$##@

  130. I hope this works. Bought silver tray from “as see on tv” at least 10 years ago. Worked wonderful. Now I cannot find tray anywhere. Crossing fingers.

  131. Thank you, I just tried this idea on a pair of earrings and it worked really well. Wanted to wear them but did not have any silver cleaner. Thank You again 🙂

  132. This destroyed my Pandora! All real charms, all silver but I also had a pandora glass bead in there too. The formula left the outer varnish of the glass bead dull (had the texture and appearance of sea glass) and removed all of the black enamel/paint on all of the charms that had it (panda, hand, equestrian pendant charm etc.) This method works on pure silver jewellery however, I do NOT recommend it for a Pandora charm bracelet or any other similar piece of jewellery with anything other than silver on it.

  133. This method sadly completely destroyed the remaining silver tone on my costume silver earrings. Polishing them didn’t make them worse, but trying them in this solution certainly did. Nice idea, bad move on my part.

  134. It still amazes me that, even with the answer to just about everything at our fingertips, people still don’t check to see if what they think they know is true.

  135. I have tall candlesticks I want to do with this method – does the whole candlestick have to touch the aluminum foil, or only part of it?

  136. Thanks Melissa for the hint, in fact you saved me, I was told to use hydrochloric acid – I don’t know what would have happen ?
    Thanks again

  137. Occording to comments submitted, some have no success and others are amazed at how fabulous it works. I think I have accidently discovered why it works for some and not for others..I had five batches of silver to clean, but only enough foil to do four. For the fifth batch I used Reynold’s Wrap, which didn’t create rhe chemical reation necessary to do the job. According to me, Reynold’s Wrap is an excellent product, but not for cleaning silver.

  138. Melissa, Why do I keep getting the same email over and over telling me about the silver cleaning trick. I got it and I know how to do it now. Stop with the emails unless you send something new and interesting. You do have wonderful ideas let me hear some new ones. The Tension rods is a great idea. Thank you
    Marian Scheerer

  139. Thank you!!! By far, this combination has shown the best results (I used it on a very tarnished Tiffany necklace I’ve had for over 10 years), and also your tutorial was so simple, basic and all the ingredients needed were basic household products!
    I have just posted a before and after picture and posted it on Facebook, instagram and twitter. I really only post and promote products and ideas that are worth posting!
    I am glad I stumbled across your website and I will be an avid follower!

    Thank you,
    Kassy Klunker

  140. Not only have you cleaned your silver in record time but you have actually removed a fine layer of it in the process. Go into Birks or Tiffany’s, tell the sales associate how you clean your silver and watch their reaction. Toothpaste and a toothbrush can leave fine scratches on sterling. Use a silver paste, a soft cloth and elbow grease – cleaning your silver this way and using it regularly is what creates a lovely patina over time.

  141. can you use this on sterling silver ring that has stones on it. I have a diamond accent ring that’s sterling silver….I dont want to ruin the diamonds

  142. Just tried this on a 20 year-old bracelet gifted to me by an aunt. It’s all the way from Hawaii – the other side of the world from me so very special. It’s a link of little flowers which are very faceted and thus no flat surfaces; very challenging! It is hard to polish as it has many jagged edges. This method worked about 80% – it will I suspect never look as beautiful as it once did but is definitely wearable now, so thank you very much x

  143. I discovered a silver cleaning miracle my son had turn his necklace black in a hot tub and nothing including your tip worked so I was looking for an old toothbrush under the sink and found a magic eraser and thought hmmm what do I have to lose I wish I took pictures because now his necklace looks brand new again

  144. I have done it twice and didn’t get you wonderful results. went to the store and purchased more vinegar and thinking hmmmmmmmmm.

  145. I have a silver tiffanys picture frame. Would this solution work for it? If so how would I apply it? I assume I don’t put the picture frame in the bowl. Thanks.

  146. I’ve had a very large, beautifully ornate Mexican tin framed mirror for about 30 years. It has a nice patina now, however I am wanting to restore it to it’s original shine. Is this process what you would recommend? I don’t want to start anything unless I am confident it will work. It is nice the way it is, but would like a different look.

  147. You are my object of adoration tonight. Just before she died, my stephmom taught me half of your recepe, which worked better than the shopshelf insults they offer us as the only available remedies. I’ve got lots of stuff (delapetated, but still beautiful), that has had to go green for fear of developing tennis-elbow. Will report back in about 3 hours, but there might be some electron-exchange between the tinfoil, the salts and water combination, somewhat like a stovetop-battery (almost identical ingredients minus water and using dry heat). That could just maybe make you consider getting yourself a piece of paper that says ‘pattent’ at the top. Just an idear…Rub the word ‘scientist’ in their faces.

    • Teehee! Just remember to stress you use the word ‘tinfoil’, as it just sounds better and you couldn’t choose between the American “aluminum” and the otherwise used variation “aluminium”. -I also grew up with it being called tinfoil. Wonder what the original looked and felt like? Lost in history…

  148. cool going to try it today just got about 500 pieces of old silver jewelry that was in a barn for years and going to clean it today!!! TY for the tip

  149. Absolutely incredible! I did a ss necklace and pendant that was almost black. I cannot believe the results! Fantastic…thank you!! John

  150. WOW!!! This really works!! I have 3 necklaces and 5 pairs of earrings I hadn’t worn in years. This cleaned them up like new. I will use this method on a regular basis. It’s like I have a new collection of jewelry. Thanks Melissa.

  151. I have been looking for this FOREVER! Back in the 80’s there was “Silver Lightning”.. A guy was doing the “But wait! If you buy in the next..” adds for this “mat” that cleaned SILVER. All you had to add was “White Viniger, Bakeing Soda, Hot Water & Salt.. They Foiled him (pun intended) by doing the same process on TIN FOIL!
    I am so glad that you posted this! I have everything I need, I just forgot if it was cold water or hot!

  152. Just found 2 baby spoons last night that are keepsakes but a few black spots on each… Have tried toothpaste, jewelry cleaner without ammonia, silver cleaner and nothing seems to get the spots off. I do not want to ruin these, so not trying baking soda solution because of warnings. What should I do ???

  153. Worked for me!! R
    evived a necklace, several rings, earrrings, and antique silver set! It seems to work best in the first 5-10 minutes. Thanks so much!!

  154. Dear Melissa Thanks for being willing to share your many ideas on cleaning most anything. What has got me is what we have in common ; CLEANING. I am going on 70 living on an island called Phuket in Thailand. I recently gave up a 21 year secong hand store where I was totally sucsesvle simple because Ilov bying oh peoples dirty unkept whatver and applied a bit of love and cleaning. By the way I am a Virgo born in the month of September better known as clean freaks. I want to know everthing about you and your love or gift. I would love to offer this service here. Help me. Frank

  155. I went to Tiffany’s today to get my (5) silver pieces cleaned. They told me it would cost $20 for each piece. I was shocked, so I decided to just get one cleaned. I was not going to pay $100 for cleaning jewelry! Then I found this article and immediately tried it! It WORKED and for less than $2 since I had everything needed. The jewelry’s tarnish disappeared right before my eyes! It was so amazing! Thank you for sharing this super helpful way to clean silver jewelry. I will definitely be using this technique in the future!

  156. Thanks Melissa, Yours if the first one I looked at and I am not looking any more ! You sold me, I like that you used things we all have on hand or can get at the local $$ Tree.. thanks for sharing, 🙂

  157. I can’t believe that it really worked… thanks so much!! All I wear is silver and have been missing one of my favorite necklaces because it became so tarnished. I spent money on silver cleaners that didn’t work…so I ran across this and thought what do I have to lose… and now I have gained back my favorite necklace that I haven’t worn in over three years!!! Thank you so much!!!

  158. Can you clean real diamonds with this? I have a silver charm with a real tanzanite gem in it. Can I clean it this way without messing up the gem?

  159. How does this work on silver coins – both new issue and old? Will it work just as well, or will it damage the coin? Thanks so much – Leo – Oh, last comment – do you have any recommendations on cleaning copper or gold coins without damaging them?

    • CLR Remover (available at Home Depot) works great on cleaning copper coins. You just need to soak them in the CLR and all the tarnish will come off.

  160. Melissa, your formula in incorrect. When you combine vinegar (acetic acid) and baking soda (bicarbonate of soda), the result is a violent reaction that produces carbon dioxide, which boils off in the form of gas, leaving a chemical, near neutral solution of water, depending on the proportions of vinegar and baking soda, http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemicalreactions/f/What-Is-The-Equation-For-The-Reaction-Between-Baking-Soda-And-Vinegar.htm
    In your video your solution does not react when you added vinegar to the solution, which defies the chemical formula. Something is not correct.

  161. This just saved me a ton of money!!! I put my husbands necklace and mine in a jewelry cleaner ( I had done this before) For some reason it turned them yellow/black I was so upset I only had mine less than a year and paid a lot for it, found this and tried it and it worked instantly!! Thanks so so much!!!! Everyone try this it works miracles!!

  162. I have found some large pieces off silverware dateing back 1800s tea pots serving trays salt and pepper shakers candle sticks holders and so on these were inside the roof off the house we brought after been in the house 10 years we had some work done inside the roof some are to big to fit in a bucket any idears what I can do ty

  163. Good job. Another way of cleaning silver is toothpaste. Damp a cotton ball with warm water then add toothpaste on it. Rub on the silver piece then wash the piece of silver in cold water. Will shine as a brand new silver piece.

  164. I have always stored my large serving pieces covered with Saran Wrap or cling wrap–keep them air tight when stored and you can bring them out to use when needed and they will stay beautiful like the day you put them away. A trick my Mom taught me. Good luck!

  165. Wow! You are a lifesaver! In Brighton UK – silver for sale everywhere but no one sells silver polish. Just tried it – it works! Fantastic! Thank you. Lou

  166. Thank you so much for the detailed instructions and the awesome video! I just polished my tarnished silverware, which I use as my everyday ware and it turned out stunning! I had tried, what I thought, was the same method years ago and it didn’t work. Your video makes this dead simple. And I thought I was going to be polishing this stuff the old fashioned way with harsh smelly solutions that would take me at least an hour and all the mess. OMG you just simplified my life!

  167. Absolutey amazing! I bought a few pieces of James Avery sterling silver on Ebay and they were in desperate need of cleaning. Now I can wear them and enjoy the shine because they look brand new. Thank you so very much for posting this. I love the cleaning solution.

  168. Thank you so much for this! I saw a difference only 1 min after putting it in the mixture. Now my bracelet is good as new! btw, the gems in it are perfectly fine. 🙂

    • Tina, I haven’t tried it but know those things work. What works best for me is baking soda – mix it with water to make a paste, rub it and rinse. It’s a great recipe but you have to do the rubbing. I liked this idea here because you don’t have to rub it.

  169. I tried the above method to clean an old large silver piece, However, I have a cream & sugar set that is lined with brass or gold or ? Not sure. Can I use this method to clean them as well or will it damage the interior of the items?

  170. I found very old silver plated tea set in my gramma’s house and cleaned it in 15 minutes I only regret didn’t take a before and after picture. Unbelievable’ my sister wanted to pitch it,can’t wait to show her. It’s mine now !!

  171. Thank you sooo very much!!! I’ve got tons of silver tarnished to a barely recognizable darkness. Polishing with cloth did wonders, but takes long & makes my finger all gray too! Love you, for sharing your valuable tip without costing any, when so many are for bucks!

  172. Hi Do you know if this can used on Silver plated jewellery?? We sell lots of silver plated jewellery in the UK (and Worldwide) and this would be a great website to send our customers to for cleaning info 🙂

  173. This worked, but I read that vinegar and salt will corrode/rust sterling silver. Is this method of cleaning sterling silver then a possible cause of corrosion?

    • Fiona: If vinegar and salt were so bad for silver, you couldn’t eat food with real silver! A few minutes of contact shouldn’t hurt solid silver, and then you rinse thoroughly with clean water to get all of the solution off.

  174. Thank you for this! I tried it today on some SS pieces, one of them a brushed SS necklace with a brown-reddish tarnish and it came right off without doing the polishing! I didn’t expect it to work that well. My other pieces are now nice n’ shiny after polishing them. I’m doing this from now on!

  175. I just tried this, it worked quickly and perfection in under 60 secs on my Tiffany’s Necklace ! So happy I can save $25 by doing it myself. Thank you for sharing.

  176. Really works well!!! But if your silver has oxidization between cracks for definition like pandora. I don’t recommend this as it will turn the oxidization brown or it removes it altogether and it’s a long wait for it to oxidize again!

  177. Thank you. Worked a treat. I wore my Tiffany ring and necklace in the pool and the chlorine tarnished it beyond recognition. I’m so happy this worked. I will tell everyone.

  178. Wow! This is amazing. Removed stubborn tarnish instantly off a necklace that I tried cleaning with baking soda/water/foil, WD40, baking soda/water paste to no avail. Thank you.

    • I got together all my silver and gold necklaces from years past. Some looked like they were beyond help. Used Hagerty Silver Dip for silverware that I had bought at TJMaxx. Dipped each necklace in the dip for 10 seconds, and each came out like brand new! Washed the gold ones in warm soapy water, but some would not come clean. Dipped in the Hagerty Dip, and it even made them new again. Plan to mix up the silver and baking soda concoction soon. When I tried it in the past, silver still needed a silver polishing paste to remove the tarnish completely. The concoction I used may have not had all the ingredients in this blog, though.

  179. This works soooo well. I was on my second store-bought appliance purported to remove tarnish….and did absolutely nothing. The addition of the vinegar seemed to be the catalyst which resulted in bubbling of the boiling water-salt-baking soda mixture on the jewelry. It worked great!!!!! Kudos to you for home “science” that works!!!!

  180. Thank you. Thank you. Worked great! I used a casserole dish. I began with antique silver spoons from my spoon racks and just continued to add more new ingredients to it as I went along so I could add things to it that were bigger and deeper as I went along.

  181. My Tiffany neckless is so tarnished. I want to try this but I am afraid to. Don’t want to ruin my expensive jewelry.

  182. If you are going to advise people you need to make sure that the words you use are accurate.
    Is it “Tinfoil” or “Aluminium foil”??????? I doubt seriously that “Tinfoil” would do the job. By the way
    where do you buy your tinfoil these days…………hah???

  183. I cannot give this my good silver cleaner seal of approval…..it does clean but only after the buffing part….which is the part I hate…..especially if you have a necklace with those silver balls on it.

  184. I did that too for a silver medallion I own. I didn’t think it would work, but it did perfectly! For larger, less delicate pieces, I find that gently rubbing with my fingers works well.

  185. I’m wondering if this will help clean my silver bells/balls that Ive had for years and have to polish every time I use them to decorate my tree… I’ve already purchase acid free tissue paper to keep them from tarnishing while packed away with my holiday decor. They looked nice n shiny for this year!! What do u think?

    • Whoops! I read through all the comments and found out that you’ve already been remanded several times for calling it TIN foil instead of aluminum foil. On a side note to “Shyla” (4 November 2013) – perhaps you “couldn’t turn basic cleaning skills into an overnight success” because of your bad attitude! It seems that Melissa Maker has put in a lot of hard work and research to accomplish what she has done, and her attitude is one of helpfulness and encouragement, not one of negativity and entitlement.
      Melissa – would you please edit your original post to say “aluminum” instead of “tin”? Thank you! <3

  186. I have read a lot about using just salt and aluminum foil, or baking soda and aluminum foil, and sometimes even mixing the 2, but to mix the 2 with boiling water and vinegar, seems like it could damage the silver or be to abrasive. I am going on what I read in other websites, but I am pretty close to trying your method due to your video & pleasant deamenor. So before I start, are my concerns valid?

  187. Hi Melissa. Well done!! I just tried your method on a silver plated tray I received for my 21st birthday nearly 30 years ago and it worked like magic. I had to soak the tray twice and use a bit of elbow grease with the polishing, but hey you should have seen the colour of it before it went in. Thank you so much for sharing your secret x

  188. One of the best uses for coffee filters has to do with toilet training toddlers…I bet Melissa didn’t know that one. Long before she graduated business school & made a business out of cleaning I was known for my cleaning savvy. I’m a cleanophobe…I like cleanliness or I feel mixed up. It’s kind of insulting that someone who knew nothing & didn’t like cleaning has made a career out of it. I had alot of tips that rivaled Helloise Hints…I am very low income but I couldn’t turn basic cleaning skills into an overnight success. Some people just get it all…I wonder what she has to say about lemons…there’s got to be about 100 uses for lemon juice. I had been using baking soda & vinegar for a long time_got the tip from my grandmother…used in back in the early 90’s on a musty jacket-it deodorizes & disinfects; even had to use it as a pre-soaking agent to get out “diesel fuel” before laundering [when my THEN husband got back-splashed filling reserve tanks on the dump truck he drove for work]. Top that missy.

    • Wow! You are taking your bitterness out on a stranger that is just passing along “tips”. I never understand those who are jealous over other peoples success. You are responsible for your own happiness!

  189. […] The best-kept silver cleaning secret. Must remember this for next time![More] […]

  190. Thank you melissa. I haven’t tired this one yet but I will let you know after I once apply your method. I have lots of Tiffani silvers and since they started charging for polishing, I sort of stop getting them cleaned. 🙂

  191. I think you should call things what they really are. Foil is no longer made of Tin. What you buy at a grocery store is Aluminum foil.

  192. My saddle has some tarnished pieces on it, almost as if a clear coating is peeling off of it… would this work to restore the shine?

  193. Just tried this and want to say thank you! I was in a panic when I saw my ring that I wear daily all of a sudden was tarnishing! My silver ring and silver diamond hoops look as good as new! Thanks for the tip!!

  194. Using chemicals on silver, silverplate or any other fine jewelry or any with this type of finish, it will eventually wear the silver away and can leave it pitty. I lotion based silver cleaner is always the best. If I had heirlooms I certainly would not use anything that had any kind of chemicals in it.

  195. This really works! My Tiffany & Co jewelry looks brand new! The tarnish is all gone & nice & shinny. Deffinatley will continue to use this home remedy!

  196. I tried this and it worked!! I have a 30 year old silver baby cup that was given to me when my daughter was born. I wanted to give it to her on her upcoming 30th birthday filled with flowers, but it was unsightly! I tried silver jewelry cleaner and a silver polish, but neither of them worked. So I tried this remedy and it worked like a charm! Thank you so much!

  197. Hello! I followed Melissa’s guidelines for cleaning silver jewelry meticulously and full of zeal. I did it EXACTLY as Melissa advised us to do it. And what happened? Most of my beautiful sterling silver jewelry turned light-yellow; some pieces more so, some less. Ironically enough, some of the items even look better now – especially those with stones, like CZ, tourmalines, because the contrast between the metal and the stones became more obvious, which seems to enhance the overall look of the jewelry. With some other pieces, the yellow “tarnish” (?) does not leave such a good impression :-(( IN addition, all of the treated (cleaned) pieces have taken a kind of a metallic smell / odour (maybe as the consequence of the chemical reaction of silver against vinegar? Mhm, mhmhm, no clue…) Anyway, can anybody explain it to me – maybe even Melissa – why this happened? Or maybe some of you had a similar experience? Any response would be GREATLY appreciated!

    • Senta, are you sure that your silver is sterling and not plated? If it isn’t plated, the only reason I can think of for what you describe is hard water. Contact with phosphates will also turn silver yellow or even brown.

  198. I also use this recipe for cleaning my silverware. I only use at holiday time and it gets tarnished between uses. It is unbelievable how clean it comes.

  199. In my house we’ve always cleaned all our silver (including silver plated) with just the aluminum foil, baking soda and boiling water. No salt or vinegar. Works perfectly every time.

  200. You can also do this with just the boiling water, baking soda, and tin foil leaving out the rest. Takes a little longer but would be gentler.

    • I think not; unless the gems in question were reactive to vinegar (like pearls; they literally fizz in the solution and melt).

      Here’s a list in this site. Just run straight to the bottom of the page.

      http://www.mirabellejewellery.co.uk/care.php

      However, I might need to try this with some pieces that has semiprecious stuff in it and see how it goes.

  201. You are a lifesaver! I accidentally put my silver Tiffany necklace in Gold jewelry cleaner and thought it was ruined. This made it come out looking brand new! Thank you so much!

  202. You can also use MSG to clean silver. Just put a small drop of water on the MSG and rub it on the silver until it gets cleaned up then wash it with water. It’s very easy. 🙂

  203. I’m so glad I found your video. I was just at the craft store picking up jewelry findings and tools. Saw a jar of jewelry cleaner and thought, there’s got to be a better way to clean my stuff rather than using all these chemicals. Voila!! Found your video on Pinterest just minutes after returning home. Yeah – happy dance!

  204. Thanks for a great recipe! I bought some earnings for myself and my girls that had lost their shine. Worked great! $5 garage sale earnings that look like a million bucks!

  205. […] I was the official silver polisher when I was growing up (attention to detail leads to library career). My mom always advised me not to totally remove the tarnish, that there should be some of it left in the grooves to give definition. How true that is I'm not sure, but I always left some of the black in the grooves. While in college, I polished silver (and cleaned house) for wealthy families in that area. They never seemed unhappy with what I did in leaving some black in the grooves. My polish of choice has always been Wright's plus a soft cloth, usually an old diaper. There are liquids for dipping, but my mom (yay, Mom!) always told me not to use them. As for how to remove tarnish in an eco-friendly way and so you don't inhale noxious fumes, the general consensus on the internet seems to be a combination of hot water, vinegar, foil and baking soda. I've never tried it, but reliable-looking sites claim it's the cat's meow. Here is an illustrated site with a video even — The Best-Kept Silver Cleaning Secret Ever! | Clean My Space […]

  206. Ah yes pearls. Any soft, porous, or dyed stones should not be cleaned with this method. Turquoise, opals, pearls to name a few.
    Also yes it can be pit the jewelry if used too much or for too long. The best is to keep yor jewelry clean by putting it on last when getting ready, wipe it with a soft cloth when you put it away and lastly store it in a tarnish resistant cloth or in a plastic bag.

  207. You should be sure to use a glass bowl and to not introduce any other metal such as metal tongs to the mixture. You could cause a chemical reaction and copper plate your items.

  208. Thanksfor posting this… As a step saver, I used an aluminum pie tin instead of foil in a bowl. Works just as well, but you can use it exclusively for your jewelry cleaning over and over!

  209. I tried this on my sterling silver tiffanys necklace and it didn’t clean it…somehow it actually made it worse =[. I don’t know why and I followed everything to a T…..Im pretty heartbroken about it.

  210. Hi. I clean my silver jewelry by boiling 1 cup of water with some glyceryn soap, just add some grated soap or little pieces of it, as soon as it bols, turn the heat off, mix it well to dissolve the soap and add the silver jewelry in the water mixture. let stand for 1 or 2 minutes, then wash it in cold water and dry it with a cotton or microfiber cloth. You get the same great results. Try it! 🙂

    • I line my jewelry drawers with jeweler s cloth that you can buy just like fabric. I got mine from Joann Fabric. It retards tarnishing.

  211. i just tried this, and despite the smell, it worked perfectly! I’m so excited to wear the jewellery I’ve been neglecting because of tarnish. Thanks! 🙂

  212. Great, thanks! Just so you know – the baking soda + white vinegar will also work for cleaning the yellow out of wine glasses.

    Let it fizz, let it sit for as long as you need to – one time I think I let it sit for 2 hours.

    Then it just scrubs clean!

  213. hi ive used this mixture and it works perfectly ive also used the toothpaste and brush before and that does work but for some reason not as well as the mix mentioned above so thank you^^. i had a question about your charm bracelet with all the links and the big red heart, where did you get it? if you dont mind my asking of course ^^. thanks again!

  214. Thank you! Worked like a charm. For me, the buffing part was the most important! The more I buffed, the better it worked. Your process is much appreciated 🙂

  215. hmmm…i have been doing this for years but my recipe is without vinegar and it is amazing. it might just be an extra unnecessary step. Entertaining 🙂 but unnecessary.

    • Totally agree and it does work! The two main culprits when it comes to tarnishing silver are 1/ dust and 2/ humidity. I always tell my customers to keep their jewelry in a closed box or baggie when they’re not wearing it, which significantly slows the tarnishing process. And when the pieces do tarnish, they can easily be cleaned with those little disposable “Connoisseur” brand wipes, which are dry wipes and won’t damage pearls and gemstones.

    • I don’t recommend keeping your silver in a plastic bag. If the plastic comes in direct contact with the silver for any length of time, it will pit the silver. This is especially true of silver plated items. I have a lot of silver plate that my mother-in-law stored that way, and all of it is damaged. One day (when my ship comes in) I will have it replated because it is beautiful; but I wish she hadn’t stored it in plastic bags. My gemologist friend tells me that wrapping the silver carefully in acid-free tissue paper (available at most craft stores and used by scrapbookers) and THEN storing it in plastic bags is the way to go if you don’t have the tarnish-resistant fabric to wrap it in.

      • I have a friend who makes jewelry and she had told me the same thing (about regular plastic baggies damaging silver); she did however say that there’s a special kind of plastic zip lock type bag that’s actually specifically made for storing silver to minimize tarnishing. Of course that’s little to no help at all because I can’t for the life of me remember the name or even where to get it :/ ….. well I guess til I remember to ask her ill just keep shining up my silver every blue moon or so.

        • SOFT FOAM NIGHTMARE – STORAGE AND DISPLAY
          (LESSON: I will always pre-test how silver and copper objects react over time to contact with SPECIFIC foams before storing/displaying the pieces in the foam)

          Heather, a similar problem exists for what seems to be “ordinary” soft foam. I recycled some soft foam from inside a box used to ship a few things I bought from a company in China. Nothing seemed unusual w/r the foam: no odd smells, off-colors, contaminants like grease, etc. I cut some patterns in the foam to fit some silver and copper items and then store the items in the foam cutouts I’d made.

          ONE YEAR LATER…
          I unpacked and the copper items were CORRODED about 1/2 way through with black and green color to the corrosion. The FOAM had formed a gel-like gunk where it contacted the copper items. One piece, a Christmas star, looked perfectly fine, until I lifted it out of its storage “slot” and saw the other side was cratered like the moon, and that gel gunk coated the foam slot.
          Similar results for the silver items, but no “green” matter, and not quite so bad in degree of corrosion. Still unsalvagable except to melt-down and recycle.

  216. Many years ago, everyone jumped on the fad to clean their sterling silver pieces with a similiar method using Tin Foil, Spic-n-Span, and hot water. Using this method too often, started to damage the pieces, so be careful, not sure if it was the Spic-n-Span or what.

    On a note of how to keep your sterling silver from tarnishing: It is best if it is stored in a China cabinet and not exposed to the air too much. Purchase Camphor Bars (small square bars) and place them behind trays or bowls in a water bottle lid. I put 3 per shelf in my cabinet. They will absorb the gases in the air that cause the silver to tarnish. I replace mine about every 3-4 months. I have not polished my silver in my china cabinet in over 10 years and it looks great. When I want to use a piece, a simple wipe with a polishing cloth will shine it right up if it has begun to turn. If you are not going to use a piece and don’t have room to store it in a closed china cabinet…clean and polish it and then wrap it in Saran Wrap.
    I found my Camphor Bars online at Amazon.com/

  217. […] Pinterest find – I’m so excited to find a new way to clean all my silver! [CleanMySpace] […]

  218. I just finishing doing this to my jewelry that was black and now they are all very shining and pretty just like band new.

    Thank You

  219. I just received 8 place settings of silverware from my mother. Is this a safe way to clean silverware that you are going to eat with?
    If it is, should I just maintain the same ratio as I increase the volume, since they are going to take up a lot of space to clean all of them at one time?
    Is there a way to prevent or slow down the tarnishing effect?

    • I do believe it is safe to use on items you are going to eat on. One other commenter (Jenn) said to add extra baking soda to the mixture when it is done the process in order to neutralize the chemical reaction. If you can find her comment, it will give you some insight!

    • Don’t put your good silver or silver plate utensils in the dishwasher. I even kept them from touching the stainless while in the dishwasher, and it still removed the dark etching details and almost make them look like platinum instead of silver. (Decided to just hand wash when I use them).

      • Hand wash is good, but with lots of silver to wash I have run it through the dishwasher on hottest with household strength ammonia (in glasses turned on side) instead of dishwasher powder. Same for gilt-edged good porcelain. It’s the abrasive dish-powder that does the damage.
        In theory I believe ammonia does a bit of silver-polishing itself.

  220. Thank You for saving my Tiffany jewelry!! My body changed when I was pregnant and turned my Tiffany’s very dark! They’ve been in my jewelry box for months! I’m now able to wear them again!! Thank You Thank You!!

    • @carley hunter
      No, this solution is NOT safe for Pandora charms/bracelets. They do their detailing with oxidation which will be striped if you use this or silver polish and will turn out looking very gross! All Pandora stores should offer free cleaning for your bracelet or you can you a solution of warm water and a small amount of dish soap with a toothbrush or an untreated polishing cloth.

      • I wish I had of read this before I tried it with my Pandora. You are completely right! The black detailing was completely stripped from at least 5 charms on my bracelet and I am absolutely devastated! Please, to anyone thinking of attempting this method on a Pandora bracelet, do NOT use this method.

  221. My mum has used this mixture for years. She has been using it to clean all her good silverware 🙂
    Love old methods like this, instead of paying for some product full of nasty chemicals.

    • Exactly. Turquoise reacts with acid. I think diamonds and zirconia crystals will be fine with this cleaner. It worked amazingly on my precious punk-spiked earring and piercing studs.

    • Grace you are correct. I am a jewelry designer and this mixture is what we call “pickle”. It is used to get the fire scale off metals after soldering them. Please neutralize the mixture if you do use it by adding baking soda to the mix when you are finished. Wash hands with baking soda too. This is an acid mixture and it will eat through your skin if you don’t neutralize it. Once it is neutralized you can pour the mix in the drain. If you make a large mixture, you will need to take it to the hazard deposit where you recycle paint and toxic mixtures.

  222. Hi there.. I love your silver cleaning technique but I must correct you on your explanation of white gold. White gold is not just yellow gold with rhodium over it. It is actually made by mixing gold with another white metal like silver, nickel or palladeum. This produces an often very pale yellow gold which is then usually covered in rhodium to give ia bright white appearance similar to platinum.

  223. What a great tip! And you are right. It is the alkaline balance that causes your silver to turn black. Your too acidic. I have the same problem. I ruin watches that way too. Drinking alkaline water helps.

          • If you read up on how to balance your body’s PH, they inform you that if you eat acidic foods (Plant foods), they alkalize your body in the intestine stage of digestion. Likewise, if you eat alkaline foods, they turn acidic at the intestine stage. Interestingly, many studies have been done, and this is true. By the time your PH reaches the skin health, it has reached the intestinal stage unless you apply it topically. Vitamin C creams are applied topically, so they alkalize once in the blood stream–too late for jewelry. Just use the creams where your jewelry won’t touch, and eat a lot of plant foods in order to alkalize your body from the inside out, protecting your jewelry, gems, and health as well.

      • Kinda late on this comment. I just ran across your site. A lot of good info. Lord knows I need someone to tell me how to clean better. Lol. Anyway.. As far as you saying you were gonna start drinking more tap water. Hope you have an awful good filter cause fluoride much less other chemicals they’re putting in the water are extremely hard to filter out.
        As far as what to do about acidity in the body do like I did and just go to eBay and search for “Energy Nano Flask Alkaline Water”. This is a thermos type deal that automatically turns the water that you put in it to alkaline. Has all the filters built in and at a great price. No I am not affiliated with this product. I just saw all the trolls fighting in the comments. I know this has to be stressful to you. Good luck and most I am sure appreciate what you are trying to do to make peoples lives a little easier and for free! Thanks.

      • Drinking a cap full of apple cider vinegar in a cup of water also assists and helps to lose belly fat and boost metabolism. but known fact acid without sugar does turn alkaline in the body and thus assists in balancing the ph Level. Have a wonderful day all.

        • does not “turn” alkaline ! if it did it would do it in the glass. it mixes and reacts. acids are solvents. it changes ph as it eats away microscopic parts of you. same as if you add calcium to the vinegar to make it neutral. if trying to ph balance your water just add a cucumber slice. let the prevailing acid in your body break it down. no need to add an acid.

    • Believe it or not, drinking diluted apple cider vinegar or using it on foods actually alkalizes your body, even though it is an acid. This also helps your health. See books on improving the PH of your health. This recipe looks pretty good. I tried Tarnex and it’s pretty harsh, in fact if you get it on your hands, it acts like it doesn’t want to come off. I had that happen with the purple packaged Super Clean in the auto section at walmrt, and ended up with hypothalamus damage. It was because it contains the same offending ingredient that caused Gulf War Syndrome in our soldiers: Agent Orange. I now suffer extreme fatigue, fibromyalgia and other metabolic conditions. Your hypothalamus is the Master Metabolism, it is WORTH PROTECTING. I have to take hypothalamus tissue supplements ever day (EXPENSIVE) and that is hard to keep up. Plus, get this, these chemicals are not that great anyway. The Tarnex worked great on pure (not plated) sterling silver that has not been sprayed with another protective coating or gotten rancid oils from lotions and make up on them. I imagine if this recipe doesn’t work for some, they can try removing rancid oils first, or spritz an orange peel on, rub, then mix with concentrated some that doesn’t contain an essential oil in it, since now you need to remove the orange oil. Suds and rinse, then try the recipe. If it does not work, it can mean that the sterling plate has been worn through over the years. Sterling contains some copper (I just hate that they alloy that in, and I don’t see any good reason for it!). Pure silver rarely tarnishes if at all. I have some wonderful pieces of it and have never had to clean them. Argentium needs no cleaning either. The same day I used Tarnex to clean several things, one worked fast and fantastic and two others refused to clean, so I think they were overly worn, protective coated (but not so well) or something else was up. Usually Tarnex is a dip-for-30-seconds-and-rinse deal, quick and successful. Being that I hate these harsher chemicals now (chlorox, too!), this recipe looks like a good alternative bit if genius. To the person who said pure gold is white, my metallurgy experience says that you have been misinformed, and to the one who called her a “baffoon”, Stop it. We all make mistakes, and we are all still magnificent.

      • This off the subject, but since we are correcting misinformation:

        Check your info/source “Agent Orange” a herbicide and defoliant and was contaminated with dioxin. It was primarily linked to a number of cancers in our veterans and birth defects in the Vietnamese. This chemical has no use in the auto industry. It has no purpose in OTC products even if it wasn’t banned. It was and is a restricted herbicide which would require a chemical license to purchase or use, per the EPA. Although it has been used outside of this country in this century it is banned in the United States. That was used in Viet Nam not the Gulf War. Any one remember Times Beach in Missouri – the soil even had to be burned. I personally know veterans that have died of the effects, of the cancers that filled and ravaged their bodies.

        The problems in the Gulf were the untried experimental vaccines against biological weapons for which they had no time to test, the high petroleum exposure from the destruction of well heads, absorbed through the lungs and skin, stores of chemical weapons that had to be removed and some biologicals. The lists of chemical and biologicals were not publicly revealed. There were reports of Sarin gas used against Kurdish populations though, by Hussein. That was an organo-phosphorous compound of which the only intervention/treatment is atropine, which they did carry with them. We do use organo-phosphates in agricultrure, but they are restricted use as well.

        In addition the stock of small pox vaccine used was still from the 1970s that contained thimerasol which contains mercury. That vaccine was finally used up after the terrorist concerns in the US in this century on Department of Health personnel. Unfortunately I received an inoculation with a fresh batch in 1972 while working at KUMED, within six months my life was never the same.

        Gulf War Syndrome is a combination of immune suppression from the vaccines received just before deployment, reactions to the vaccines-vaccinosis, coupled with exposure to toxins. For civilians it is called environmental sickness/illness (reactions and illness related to chemical toxins). These are hyper-sensitive and hyper-reactive immune responses. Some of the chemical toxins and biologicals as well as the vaccines can literally rewrite your immune cells DNA and you become foreign to your own immune systems and it can attack everything and an autoimmune illness begins. The same thing happens when Mononucleosis turns into CEBV, Chronic fatigue, FMS. The adrenals are damaged, the median eminance of the hypothalamus is also damaged-which can result in many metabolic, cardiac, GI/GU, neuromuscular,autoimmune, etc., issues. It is a very complicated subject with hundreds of variables plus all of our own individual genetic factors thrown in and can change how it manifests and how debilitating it becomes.

        There are therapies that are very affordable, especially with the hypothalamus and adrenals. Repair can be achieved, but a sensitivity to imbalance will always persist. It takes a lifetime of diligence, and perseverance. Standard Process prescribed by a clinician trained in their use, is high quality, very low dose replacement therapy and acute response therapy as well as maintenance therapy. Life style changes, commitment and consistency are critical to the effectiveness. Continued abuses or exposures will only cause needless suffering.

        Problems with body pH, not blood pH that is different can be regulated with the minerals that are the electrolytes in your body. Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Chloride. Your sodium/potassium balance is controlled by…….your adrenals. What is also a different subject is digestive pH. You have to understand what you are really talking about when speaking of your pH.

        There are instructions on “chemicals” for a reason and required by the EPA and other regulatory agencies, ie., FDA. Not following instructions puts you at risk of illnesses and /or injury. If the cautions are on the container it is because they were forced to put it there because some idiot did it then sued. Products we can use at home and even ingest, we take for granted as safe, but anything that will separate oxidized metal from unoxidized metal, needs to be handled with care. A little common sense would be helpful. If it produces a foul odor – listen to your senses and back off and use with care, what is occurring is a chemical reaction where noxious and probably toxic gases are being released. A chemical reaction can end up in your nose, your lungs, your stomach, on your skin and in your eyes and cause painful, and sometimes permanent damage. They may be less toxic to the environment, but they are still dangerous if misused. Most of these suggestions are however very old recipes that people used before chemistry was a big business. They are much cheaper, but still count on using at least gloves. For anything that cleans something like this, make sure your skin is covered with clothing and you have protective glasses for your eyes and a well ventilated room or perform outside and never in the presence of children or pets – that is an accident waiting to happen. Make sure a water source is nearby to flush skin, mouth and eyes. Don’t get lazy or careless because you think what you are doing is “safe” – the smell should you a clue.

        Everyone is too easily seduced by words like “natural” or “organic”, etc. Don’t experiment with recipes, don’t experiment with whatever you have on hand – for God’s sake never mix ammonia and bleach – not even down in the drain – you could kill everyone in the house with the gas produced.

        AND for heaven sake’s just because you read something on the internet doesn’t mean it is true, accurate or safe. The internet and social media is an industry of misinformation – educate yourself with objective, qualified sources, then keep researching the subject for disagreements or warnings. PLEASE…….

        As far the argument over gold……I have had to learn not everyone has had the same exposure to experience in life as I have had. It is easy to forget that what is so obvious to you because you already know it maybe totally foreign to someone else because they lack experience. If you have never seen a real gold nugget, and have only seen alloyed jewelry, I guess it is possible to get it wrong, as with anything else.

        We can’t all know everything about everything. Most mistakes come when we will believe just about anything anyone who speaks authoritatively, and we assume they can’t be wrong, so we don’t verify the info on our own – then we end up the fools twice over for, one trusting what they told us, and two for repeating it. We all do it to one extent on another – we are all human beings, some more gullible or lazy than others. We really need to lighten up on each other everyday-just because that person isn’t sitting directly in front of you, where they can smack you, doesn’t give us license to be rude, cruel or bully. We are getting pushed around enough by those in authority over our lives everyday, most of us are in the same boat, so we need to be kinder to each other. I am not saying ignore wrong info, just educate with kindness – point them in the right direction so they can see for themselves and maybe they will learn to be more careful of what they believe. A degree of doubt is a good thing.

  224. I just tried this on silverware and it worked almost instantly!! But it had a bad smell to it so I’d recommend doing it near an open window. I’m so glad I cane across this video 🙂

    • Depends on the turquoise. If it has been color treated, you should only use a polishing cloth on your silver and use nothing harsher than baking soda on the stones. If it is Native American made, it should not be soaked in anything. Most of the techniques used by Native artisans involve sawdust or other filler under the stone.

      • Melissa, I have used this method (minus the vinegar) to clean any silver pieces that I have including spoons, silver cream & sugar set, and my mother’s silverware that tarnishes oh so quickly. When I did larger items, I used a 9×13 glass dish and put the tinfoil in there. Worked like a dream!

        • Did you double or even triple the amounts of ingredients ? Also, any suggestions as to how to store larger silver serving pieces to avoid tarnish ? Thank you

  225. Wow! This worked out so well. My mom payed $15 at Tiffany’s to have her infinity necklace cleaned and it barely made it look clean. Waste of money. Her necklace looks clean and new thanks to this cleaning method!!

  226. ‘Tis a shame I can’t use this method on my old flute. It’s been out of commission for a few years now, and has turned almost completely black with tarnish. :\

    • Kat, the best dry tarnish remover I know (and I use it all the time on the sterling silver jewelry I make) is those disposable “Connoisseur” brand wipes you can get at any jewelry counter, including WalMart and Target. They are powder-coated wipes that effortlessly remove tarnish and don’t require rinsing. They come in a little red box. You just wipe the silver piece (even works on costume jewelry), then you finish it with a microfiber cloth to pick up any residue and restore a great shine. Try it and let me know what you think!

      PS: I don’t recommend Connoiseur’s liquid silver cleaners, however. They are too harsh and often dull pieces.

      • I used the liquid Connoisseur silver polish yesterday and it is definitely strong. I used it to clean a ring with alot of grooves and a very tarnished bracelet and necklace.it worked fabulously, in only a couple of seconds. I wouldn’t use it for a routine shine, because it is so strong, but if your piece has alot of grooves with gunk or in poor shape, it is worth a shoot. From the above comment though, I will buy the wipes next time.

      • actually the correct description of white gold is that it is yellow gold mixed with white metals rather than copper and brass more like nickel but you are right about the rhodium plating all white gold after the metals are mixed and the piece is ready they rhodium plate it to give it that shine

    • I would just like to let Anon. Know that white gold is not just yellow gold that is rhodium plated. It is actually yellow gold that has been alloyed with nickel & zinc to give it a white colour. A lot of white gold is rhodium plated because it usually has a yellow tinge to it & the demand is for something to be really white, that is why most white gold is rhodium plated.

      • Actually you are both wrong white gold is pure gold. Yellow gold is yellow because it has brass in it, and rose gold has an even higher brass content. They rhodium plate white gold because as pure gold it is very soft and will wear away over time. Platinum being the purest of them all. Don’t use this for any gold as the acid content will destroy your gold of all colors.. Soap and water and a soft cloth is all you need.

          • John is absolutely right. The only pure gold is 24k yellow gold. And for jewelry, all the colors, yellow, white and rose, are yellow mixed with alloys. 24k is too soft and therefore has to be mixed with various alloys to strengthen it. I have been a jeweler for over 10 years and have had this question come up more often than I can count. Rhodium just gives white gold it’s high polish white mirror finish and will wear off over time based on products used by wearer and body acidity.

        • I am no expert on precious metals but your answer makes no sense at all! gold is mined yellow! you buffoon if you are going to comment at least try and appear to know what you’re talking about

  227. This really works. Thanks as I have tried this without the vinegar and got good results, but I am sure the vinegar will speed up the process. I will try this tomorrow. Love non chemical products

    • Before you go all “chemical free” and such, please look up the definition of a chemical. Vinegar (acetic acid), baking soda (bicarbonate), common salt (sodium chloride), and water are all chemicals.

      • I’m glad ChemGrad brought up the point that salt, vinegar, baking soda are all chemicals and are all natural. But so is acetic acid, hydrochloric acid, ammonia, bleach and other acids and bases. They are all chemicals, and natural, and all can be dangerous if not used correctly.

        • Thanks for this clarification – I think you get it!

          To the writer above, we know these are all ‘chemicals’. However when I use the term pertaining to cleaning, I am referring to the ones we try to stay away from. These are the ones that are not generally found in the kitchen pantry of a home. Vinegar, baking soda and salt are all edible and safe, despite being ‘chemicals’. When people try to reduce chemicals in their home, they are referring to products containing bleach, ammonia, dyes, scents, agents and other additives. So I understand the literal use of the word, but when it comes to cleaning, the context of the word ‘chemical’ typically refers to products like I described above. I do hope that clarifies!

      • I think most are aware of the definition of “chemical” however what is “meant” by the term “chemical free” is non toxic harsh substance that can potentially harm people and animals. But thanks for the vocab lesson anyway.

        • wow. So this is pertaining to the “don’t think so” response. You know this girl is just letting you know how you can save money by using items LESS harmful and things people probably have around the house anyway. You’re “attack” on her seems personal, like you know her and wanted to do some hating. Two things here..either you don’t like her suggestion, in which case, just don’t do what she suggest! duh The other thing, I don’t see what difference it makes if she were to be an “environmentalist wacko”, as you put it. So what? If you didn’t like what she wrote, then get off the page. Exit quietly with some kind of dignity.

          • a friend of mine told me that if you mix Drano with Clorox (and to do this is not far fetch) you toilet bowl may simply explode. This scared the heck out of me because most people don’t read what’s behind those bottles.
            Oh Sister Jean, I should have listen better during your chemistry class.
            As for this cleaning recipe, THANKS, it does work!

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