How to Clean Silver: 7 Methods for Removing Tarnish

Silver is a chemical element with a brilliant luster. The forty-seventh element on the periodic table, silver has been a popular material for jewelry and domestic furnishings since ancient times. It is also highly valued for its electrical conductivity.

Among silver’s chemical properties is a high degree of reactivity to sulfur-containing compounds in the air. The sulfur combines with silver to form silver sulfide; this chemical reaction causes tarnish or oxidation, which makes the silver dark, mottled, and dull.

Cleaning silver is relatively easy, and you can use everyday household items to complete the task. While there are a few different DIY methods, the results will vary depending on how tarnished your silver is and how much you’re willing to alter the original finish of the silver object. Ways to clean silver can involve stripping sulfide from the surface, dissolving the sulfide in a liquid, or reversing the chemical reaction that causes tarnishing.

You can use several household products to make a silver cleaning solution, including pantry items like vinegar and cornstarch:

1. 1. Vinegar and baking soda: Combine half a cup of vinegar with two tablespoons of baking soda in a bowl of lukewarm water. Submerge the silver items in the solution for at least thirty seconds and up to three minutes. Then remove them, dry them, and buff them with a microfiber cloth.
2. 2. Dish soap: Dishwashing soap is another simple solution for cleaning silver. Add a few drops of soap to a bowl of warm water, dip a soft cloth into the water, and rub the cloth gently on the silver pieces. This is suitable for objects like cutlery that may only be lightly tarnished.
3. 3. Cornstarch: Make a paste from cornstarch (one part cornstarch and two parts water) and coat the tarnished silver objects or the parts where the silver is tarnished, and let them sit for about fifteen minutes. Then, gently rub away the dried paste with a soft cloth made of microfiber or cotton.
4. 4. Toothpaste: Ordinary toothpaste can also work in a pinch. (It must be a basic whitening toothpaste containing hydrated silica.) Gently rub the tarnished area using a clean cloth and a dab of toothpaste. It’s good to test your toothpaste on a small, less visible area of silver to see how it responds. Keep in mind that this method is a bit more abrasive than others.
5. 5. Hand sanitizer: Squeeze a small amount of hand sanitizer onto a clean cloth or paper towel, and rub it gently on silver items, such as silver utensils or flatware to help remove tarnish.
6. 6. Acidic food items: In addition to vinegar, you can use ketchup and lemon juice to remove tarnishing from silver. The acid content in these food items breaks down the tarnished layer of silver on the surface. As with other methods, a toothbrush can be useful to get the cleaning substance into hard-to-reach crevices.

If you’re planning on selling a valuable antique, it’s often best to sell it as-is and let the buyer decide if and how they want to restore the surface. For valuable silver objects, consult an expert who can give you advice specific to your silver piece, if you’re cleaning it yourself.

Using baking soda and aluminum foil is one of the best ways to clean tarnished silver items like silverware or candlesticks without abrading the silver. Follow these steps to clean your silver using everyday household items:

1. 1. Line a container with aluminum foil. Line a large tub or container with aluminum foil. Be sure the container is large enough to fit your silver items in a single layer.
2. 2. Insert the silver. Place your tarnished silver into the container, ensuring the items are touching the foil.
3. 3. Bring water to a boil. Once boiling, pour baking soda into the hot water. Aim for a ratio of about one cup of sodium bicarbonate per gallon of water. Be careful: Adding the baking soda will cause the water to foam, and the pot you’re using will be hot. Use pot holders as you pour. Next, watch as the tarnish begins to disappear rapidly.
4. 4. Remove the silver. Remove the pieces of silver with kitchen tongs, as the water will still be quite hot. It might take more rounds of baking soda to fully clean your silver, significantly if it’s heavily tarnished. 5.__ Wipe your silver__. Wipe away any powdery white residue left on the silver with a soft cloth. Buff the silver with gentle, circular motions to finish.

Rather than abrade the silver, which separates the silver sulfide from the unblemished silver underneath the layer of tarnish, this method reverses the chemical reaction that caused the tarnishing. The sulfur atoms break away in the hot baking soda solution, reversing the tarnish. However, the atoms don’t go back to their original places, meaning the surface is still slightly altered and not as smooth as it was when brand new.

While cleaning silver items is an excellent way to remove tarnish, to make your silver items shine, you’ll have to polish them. While this can be as simple as using a little elbow grease and a clean cloth to buff the cleaned silver gently, you can also use polishing products. When purchasing a specialized polish for silver, especially antique silver jewelry or a family heirloom, it’s essential to know the material.

Most silver jewelry is sterling silver, containing a small percentage of copper for added strength. Consult with a jeweler to ensure that the product you’re using is sterling silver. Pure or nearly-pure silver plating is less common, and it is softer than sterling silver. If you have something that’s silver-plated, being extra gentle is very important.

When storing silver, it’s essential to prevent tarnishing and corrosion, especially with particular items like sterling silver jewelry with sentimental value. Be sure to store silver items in a place with no air exposure, ideally a closed box with a soft cloth interior.

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