Top 6 DIY Ways To Polish Silver

Every owner of silver jewelry or product has probably noticed that it becomes darker over time. It is natural if the plaque does not appear immediately after purchase. It happens even if the product is not worn or used too often. And here are the DIY ways to polish silver that come to your rescue!

Looking for the best way to polish your silverware without using harsh chemicals? Do you want to bring back a beautiful shine without spending a fortune at the store? If so, you’re in luck. There are many practical and affordable DIY ways to polish silver. 

I have prepared tips for you on how to clean tarnished silver at home.

Why Does Silver Tarnish?

Silver tarnishes because the metal reacts chemically to various irritants. To understand how to clean silver, you need to know why it is tarnished. There are several possibilities as to why your silverware may have tarnished:

• Air. Silverware darkens because of hydrogen sulfide, a substance found in the air. When it comes into contact with silver, it interacts, so a chemical reaction results in plaque;
• Cosmetics. If we are talking about cleaning tarnished silverware, there can be another reason for the tarnish. Silver begins to oxidize when it comes into contact with cosmetics for the face, body, hair, and perfumes. Human skin, which releases natural oils, can also accelerate the process, depending on the acidity;
• Water and detergents. Some soaps contain sulfur compounds, so if you wash silver spoons, for example, or don’t remove jewelry when washing dishes, you accelerate the tarnishing process. Some groundwater can have significant concentrations of magnesium sulfate, and in some areas, magnesium sulfate reacts by turning into hydrogen sulfide. And as I wrote above, the hydrogen sulfide forms tarnish.

Fortunately, there are a few best homemade ways to polish silver to make it look as good as new.

How To Clean Silver At Home?

Although many remedies can help you clean your silver, they are primarily chemicals that can harm your health. Plus, they can cost a lot of money.

You can do it if you want to save a couple of dollars from your wallet and not get allergic to the chemicals. All you need to do is get your silver cleaned at home. 

We have prepared for you the best ways to clean your silver that you can quickly implement:

1. Cleaning Silver With Vinegar And Baking Soda

Vinegar and baking soda may be used for cleaning blackened metal. It is desirable not to clean silver with baking soda and vinegar too often, as the latter product has specific aggressive properties. The ideal would be to clean tarnished silverware once every six months. This refers specifically to this method.

Its essence is as follows:

• To prepare a mixture for cleaning will need 50 grams of baking soda and 100 grams of vinegar essence;
• The necessary components should be mixed until the formation of a smooth texture;
• Any piece of silverware is to be placed in the prepared mixture for two hours, no more. If you want to clean a large part of silverware, you can help by putting napkins soaked in this mixture on it;
• Then, the jewelry should be thoroughly rinsed under cold water and wiped dry with a cloth.

Cleaning silver with baking soda and vinegar is the best way that helps quickly restore the original shine of the piece. The disadvantages of such cleaning may include a specific aroma, which remains for some time after using vinegar.

2. Cleaning Silver With Baking Soda Powder And Salt

This option would be an excellent tarnish silver cleaner. And this method was already known to our grandmothers. Today, this method has not lost its relevance; besides, it is one of the most effective. If you want to clean silver at home with the help of these components, it is necessary to follow the following instructions:

• Products are used in equal proportions. As a rule, 50 grams each is enough to clean a spoon and 2-3 rings;
• You need to add a small amount of water to the resulting mixture. The consistency should turn out to be a paste;
• Then the mixture is applied to the item and left to act for 10 minutes;
• After the recommended time, the items to be cleaned should be rubbed with an old toothbrush or a dishwashing sponge.

This is a suitable method for cleaning silver at home, but there is also a drawback. It cannot be used on large, smooth pieces or if precious stones are in the product. Because if you use a coarse grind of salt, it can scratch the product a bit.

3. Cleaning Silver With Ammonia And Soda

This tarnished silver cleaner is based on baking soda and ammonia. This combination of substances may surprise many, but this remedy has gained credibility. A significant advantage of the method is its speed and effectiveness. It helps to remove dark plaque even on the oldest object. With the help of these components, it is easy to clean a silver product.

• The main feature of the method is the observance of proportions. It is necessary to thoroughly wipe the product with baking soda with a sponge or cloth, then prepare a solution of ammonia and water. Ammonia and water should be in a ratio of 1:10. Only, in this case, you can achieve an excellent result;
• After cleaning with baking soda, the product is placed in the prepared liquid for 1 hour. After that, it is thoroughly washed with water and wiped dry with a soft cloth.

As a rule, no contraindications have been noticed after using this remedy, which can be attributed to the positive side of the method.

4. Cleaning Silver With Coca-Cola

This way of polishing silver is considered the most unusual or even exotic. However, Cola has proven to be a sound absorbent, not only in the fight against rust and cleaning silver. By the way, this method is also the easiest. All you will need is a pot, a drink, and a blackened silver object. 

Action list:

• Boil Coca-Cola in a pot on the stove;
• Place the jewelry in the pot and simmer for about 5 minutes;
• Rinse in clean water and pat dry.

That’s it; cleaning tarnished silver is successful. Alternatively, you can put the silver product simply in a pot of Cola and leave it for a couple of hours. This way, the plaque will also disappear.

5. Cleaning Silver With Toothpaste

You can also use toothpaste to clean silver from blackness and plaque at home, but this manual method will require your time and effort. You will need:

• Unadulterated toothpaste;
• A toothbrush or ball of cloth.

Rub the silver until it is entirely free of dark plaque, and then rinse it in clean water. Cleaning tarnished silver with this method is not gentle as there is a chance of leaving minor scratches. It is best to use the paste to work with less valuable items.

6. Cleaning Silver With Lipstick

An unusual but no less effective way to clean silver jewelry at home. The mineral composition whitens the silver surface, and the greasy texture will create a protective film that will keep the jewelry cleaner for much longer. You will need:

• Get a lipstick that you don’t mind ruining.
• Dab it on the blackened object.
• Polish it with a piece of cloth until it shines.

How To Protect Silver To Clean It Less

You need to take good care and preserve your silver so that you don’t have to find the best ways to clean it later. We recommend you follow some simple rules that will help you avoid tarnishing your items:

• Don’t store silver items in damp places, such as the bathroom;
• If it’s silver jewelry, don’t wear it after using makeup, hairspray, or other cosmetics;
• Take off your silver jewelry when you swim, bathe, or come in contact with seawater;
• Use gentler detergent options for washing silverware;
• Store your silverware in a closed box, protected from the air, and store it in a dark, dry place;
• Use tarnished silver cleaners several times a year.

Hopefully, House2Keep’s tips for cleaning silver at home will help you achieve your goal, and your silver will sparkle again. If you want more DIY tips, check them out here.

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