Cleaning silver with rubbing alcohol is a great method to treat smudges, mild spotting, or tarnished metal.
If you have any jewelry that's made from a real precious metal such as silver or gold, you can clean it safely with alcohol. As long as your jewelry is made from these metals, the jewelry won't be damaged, whatever its karat or quality.
Clean Silver with Dish Soap and Water
The key to cleaning silver without damaging it is to avoid abrasion. Cleaning silver with harsh abrasive products like chlorine bleach, or storing it using rubber bands and newspaper, is a no-no.
Before you reach for the polish, Herman recommends washing your silver with soap and water. Next, use a cotton ball or cotton pad to apply aloe-free, alcohol-based hand sanitizer to the silver, rubbing it gently over the surface (70% isopropyl alcohol also works, but it can be harder to find).
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.
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.
From rubbing alcohol to vodka, keep it away from your jewelry. Alcohol can dry out the natural oils in gemstones like opals and emeralds, which again, can cause them to crack.
The 70 percent alcohol solution should be sprayed or wiped onto the metal surface directly and left to sit for a minimum 30 seconds to properly disinfect. Bleach may not be the best choice for metal counter tops or appliances, as it can damage and discolor metal over time.
6 Toothpaste
This is a classic, easy DIY silver cleaning recipe. Use non-gel and non-abrasive toothpaste. Squeeze a small amount of it on a soft cloth or paper handkerchief. Rub onto the jewellery or silverware with circular motions to polish it and clean off the tarnish.
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.
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.
Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizers
Free chlorine radical is very reactive and could cause tarnishing of jewelry. This is especially important if you wear a ring made from sterling silver, as chlorine-based compounds are much more likely to tarnish sterling silver.
No – isopropyl alcohol and rubbing alcohol are not the same thing. Isopropyl alcohol is pure alcohol and is a colorless liquid with a musty, sharp odor. There are no other ingredients in a bottle of isopropyl alcohol. By contrast, rubbing alcohol contains isopropyl alcohol among other ingredients, such as water.
Sterling silver tarnishes when exposed to salty air, chlorine, sulfur, humidity, perspiration, cosmetics, household bleach and other strong chemicals.
Isopropyl Alcohol 100% is perfect for cleaning stainless steel surfaces as it evaporates quickly leaving no smudges. Can't get those windows clean? Isopropyl Alcohol 100% will do the trick, spray and wipe and it comes up clean and streak-free. Just like with stainless steel, Isopropyl Alcohol 100% leaves no smudges!
70% isopropyl alcohol kills organisms by denaturing their proteins and dissolving their lipids and is effective against most bacteria, fungi and many viruses, but is ineffective against bacterial spores (CDC, 2020).
99% isopropyl alcohol is used: To clean surfaces, both alone and as a component of a general-purpose cleaner, or as a solvent. 99% isopropyl alcohol has the benefit of being non-corrosive to metals or plastics, so it can be used widely, on all surfaces, and won't leave smears, even on glass or screens.
If you'd like to disinfect your jewelry, you can use regular household isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, as long as the jewelry is solid gold or platinum and is only set with diamond, ruby, or sapphire. Take care with any other kind of stones and use a gentler form of cleaning.
Yes! To clean your jewelry using isopropyl rubbing alcohol, fill a small bowl with it—just enough to fully cover the piece you wish you clean. Leave the jewelry to soak in the bowl for a few minutes. Alcohol dries completely clear on metal surfaces so there is no need to rinse it off with water.
Removes tarnish quickly and easily - just "wipe and rinse." Enjoy the beauty of your precious metals & valuables and return them to their original shine. An effective tool specifically formulated to remove tarnish from sterling silver, silver plate, platinum, copper, gold, diamonds and jewelry.
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.