💍 How to Clean Jewelry & Shine Tarnished Silver – The Easy Way
This classic, low-effort trick uses common household items and works wonders on silver and other types of jewelry.
🧂 What You’ll Need:
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon mild dish soap
- 1 cup hot water (not boiling)
- 1 piece of aluminum foil (enough to cover the bottom of a bowl)
- A small bowl
- A soft toothbrush or cloth
- Clean towel
🧼 Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Line the Bowl
Line the bottom of the bowl with the shiny side of the aluminum foil facing up. This is important — it helps with the chemical reaction. - Add the Cleaning Mix
Add the baking soda, salt, and dish soap into the bowl. - Pour the Hot Water
Carefully pour in the hot water, and stir the mixture gently to dissolve everything. - Add Your Jewelry
Place your tarnished silver or jewelry into the solution, making sure each piece touches the aluminum foil. - Wait & Watch the Magic Happen
Let the jewelry soak for 5–10 minutes. You’ll notice the tarnish start to fade or disappear completely. - Gently Scrub (Optional)
For tough spots, use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub the surface. - Rinse & Dry
Rinse the jewelry under clean water, then pat dry with a soft towel.
✨ Why It Works:
This method uses a simple chemical reaction between the baking soda, salt, aluminum, and tarnish (silver sulfide). The tarnish is lifted off the silver and bonded to the aluminum — so your jewelry gets clean with almost no effort.
💡 Extra Tips:
- Don’t use this method for porous gemstones (like opals, pearls, or turquoise) — it’s best for silver, gold, and non-porous stones like diamonds or sapphires.
- For gold jewelry, skip the foil — just use warm water, dish soap, and a soft brush.