Apply a bit of toothpaste to a microfiber cloth. Rub the silver until the tarnish is removed. Rinse with warm water and dry with a clean cloth.
"In general, a few drops of good old Dawn dish soap in warm, not hot, water will do the trick to keep most gold and silver jewelry clean. Let your pieces soak for about five minutes in the solution and rinse in lukewarm water. Then place them on an untreated microfiber cloth to buff dry," says Levitt.
For silver that is heavily tarnished, mix a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water. Wet the silver and apply the cleaner with a soft, lint-free cloth (not paper towels). Work the paste into the crevices, turning the cloth as it gets gray. Rinse and buff dry.
Simply pour the coke into a bowl and submerge your silver into it. The acid in the coke will quickly remove the tarnish. Keep an eye on it – just a few minutes should be enough. Rinse with warm water and dry carefully with a soft cloth.
Fill an aluminum pan (or one lined with aluminum foil) with hot water. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup salt, and stir to dissolve. Working in a ventilated area, submerge the silver pieces in the solution. A chemical reaction will occur, removing the tarnish.
Surprisingly, hand sanitizer works perfectly as a silver polisher. Unlike the soaking methods, you will need to do the scrubbing (or rubbing in this case). Grab a small clean cloth and squirt in a few drops of hand sanitizer and polish your silver clean.
You'll be pleased to know that you can actually use common household products as a substitute! A mixture of washing-up liquid and warm water can be used to get your silver belongings sparkling again. Just mix a couple drops of washing-up liquid with some warm water and dip a clean microfiber cloth into the mixture.
Use non-gel and non-abrasive toothpaste.
Rub onto the jewellery or silverware with circular motions to polish it and clean off the tarnish. Leave it for 5 minutes and then rinse off the toothpaste with water. After this procedure the silver is clean and shiny as new.
-Tarnishing is limited to outer few layers. -Toothpaste contains substances like calcium carbonate, aluminium hydroxide which can remove the layer of silver sulphide.
Clean Silver Jewelry with Toothpaste: A small amount of diluted toothpaste and a soft-bristle brush can do wonders for cleaning sterling silver jewelry. Just make sure the toothpaste is not a whitening formula.
Cleaning silver with Vinegar
Even the most tarnished pieces of silverware can come back to life just by using vinegar. The combination of bicarbonate of soda, aluminium foil and vinegar make for a deadly foe to tarnish and will leave your silverware looking beautiful once more.
Silver articles, when exposed to air become black after sometime. This is because the silver metal reacts with sulphur present in the atmosphere and forms silver sulphide. Thus, a layer of silver sulphide is formed on the surface of silver articles, because of which they appear dull and black.
Another great way to clean your sterling silver jewelry is with Windex. Yes… Windex. You can either spray the Windex directly on the item to be cleaned or on a soft-bristled toothbrush or soft cloth.
Since silver is a delicate, glossy metal, careful cleaning is essential. For cleaning daily jewelry, a solution of warm water and mild dishwashing detergent, or even baby shampoo, will generally be enough.
If you need clean silver now, pour lemon juice over the tarnished pieces. Polish with a soft, clean cotton cloth. The acid begins cleaning as soon as it hits the silver's surface. Rubbing it around only strengthens its cleaning power.
Wash your silver under warm water using a cellulose sponge (which isn't abrasive) and a mild dish soap (one that has a neutral pH and is free of phosphates), like citrus-free Dawn Dishwashing Liquid. Rinse the silver with water, and dry it thoroughly with a clean cotton towel. Never let it drip-dry.
You can easily clean silver with aluminum foil, baking soda and hot water. This method uses electrolytic action instead of chemical-polish abrasion and removes the tarnish from oxidized silver without removing any of the underlying metal. This is great for heavily tarnished silver.
925 Sterling Silver darkens due to daily use, as well as for other reasons. One of the most common reasons is the use of products such as perfumes, shampoos or gels. It may also react immediately with corrosive or cleaning products.
Silver is a very reactive metal. It loses its original shine because it chemically reacts to your physical composition and environment. Sweat, sickness or a boozy weekend can all change your body chemistry causing your silver to turn black. A light polish with your cloth usually takes it away.