Artem Kononenko/Demand Media
Silver jewelry can become dull and tarnished due to a chemical reaction with substances in the air that contain sulfur. To help prevent tarnishing, store each piece of your silver jewelry individually in a cotton jewelry bag. Store the jewelry bags in a dry location, away from sunlight. If your silver jewelry gets tarnished, you can restore its shine economically with a homemade silver jewelry cleaner.
Items you will need
- Glass bowl or jar
- Aluminum foil
- 1 cup hot water (not boiling)
- 1 tbsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. baking soda
- 1 tbsp. dish liquid
- Plastic spoon
- Cool water for rinsing
- Clean towel
Press the piece of aluminum foil, shiny side up, onto the inside of the bowl or jar.
Pour hot water into the bowl or jar.
Add the salt, baking soda and dish liquid to the water, and stir lightly.
Place the silver jewelry into the cleaning mixture, and allow it to sit for five to 10 minutes.
Remove the silver jewelry from the bowl or jar with a plastic spoon, and thoroughly rinse it with cool tap water.
Dry the silver jewelry completely with a clean towel.
Warnings
People with sensitive skin should wear rubber or plastic gloves to avoid contact with the homemade silver jewelry cleaner.
Photo Credits
- Artem Kononenko/Demand Media
About the Author
Aja Rivers is a New England native who has been writing professionally for nine years. Her poetry has appeared in "Tiger’s Eye: A Journal of Poetry," "Main Channel Voices" and "The Aurorean." She has an associate's degree in science from Cape Cod Community College and a paralegal certificate from Gloucester County College. Rivers is also a certified all-breed dog groomer.
