How to Clean Sterling Silver at Home

Wash sterling silver with a mild dish washing liquid., Try a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice., Use commercial silver cleaners with caution., Don’t scrub your silver with baking soda or toothpaste.

4 Steps 1 min read Easy

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Wash sterling silver with a mild dish washing liquid.

    Try filling a bowl with warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap.

    Place the silver in the bowl and let it soak for about 15 minutes.

    Use your hands to gently scrub the jewelry, rinse with clean water, and dry with a soft, nonabrasive cloth., Mix one teaspoon of olive oil with half a cup (120 mL) of lemon juice in a nonreactive bowl.

    Dip a soft, nonabrasive cloth in the lemon juice solution and polish the silver with the cloth.

    Rinse the silver with clean water and dry with a clean cloth., Commercial silver cleaners contain powerful solvents that can have toxic vapors.

    These cleaners also might require hazardous waste disposal because of the chemicals they contain.

    Commercial silver cleaners can also damage sterling silver, as they might remove anti-tarnish coatings or patina., You should avoid scrubbing sterling silver with baking soda because the baking soda can scratch the surface of the silver.

    You should also avoid scrubbing sterling silver with toothpaste.
  2. Step 2: Try a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice.

  3. Step 3: Use commercial silver cleaners with caution.

  4. Step 4: Don’t scrub your silver with baking soda or toothpaste.

Detailed Guide

Try filling a bowl with warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap.

Place the silver in the bowl and let it soak for about 15 minutes.

Use your hands to gently scrub the jewelry, rinse with clean water, and dry with a soft, nonabrasive cloth., Mix one teaspoon of olive oil with half a cup (120 mL) of lemon juice in a nonreactive bowl.

Dip a soft, nonabrasive cloth in the lemon juice solution and polish the silver with the cloth.

Rinse the silver with clean water and dry with a clean cloth., Commercial silver cleaners contain powerful solvents that can have toxic vapors.

These cleaners also might require hazardous waste disposal because of the chemicals they contain.

Commercial silver cleaners can also damage sterling silver, as they might remove anti-tarnish coatings or patina., You should avoid scrubbing sterling silver with baking soda because the baking soda can scratch the surface of the silver.

You should also avoid scrubbing sterling silver with toothpaste.

About the Author

K

Kevin Hart

Specializes in breaking down complex practical skills topics into simple steps.

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