How to Clean Silver with Baking Soda
by Lec Watkins

Silver is a really nice soft and warm metal. A favorite for jewelry and trinkets all over the world. It is such a shame silver tarnishes so easily. All the experts will tell you to store silver in acid free cloth or tissue paper to keep your silver tarnish free. But back in the real world most of us don't like to lock things away. We would rather use our silver cutlery if we're lucky enough to have some. Silver Jewelry is for wearing, handling and often leaving hanging around the house.

Silver will get tarnished, its a fact of life. But its not a fact to lose sleep over. Silver is simple to clean. You do not need to rush out and buy silver cleaning kits or silver polishing cloths either. Nearly all silver can be cleaned at home with a few simple items. I hope you find these silver cleaning tips useful.

A note of warning: any polishing of silver should be kept to a minimum. Silver is a soft metal and polishing will remove a tiny amount of the actual silver from the surface of your item. Over time this can have a noticeable effect, with a real ‘worn' appearance. So don't go mad with that cloth. Keep all polishing of silver gentle please!

How to Clean Tarnished Silver

Firstly silver tarnish is often surprisingly easy to remove simply with a soft cloth and a little time. You don't need to rub hard to remove the tarnish from silver. Cleaning silver with a microfiber cloth is a great idea as microfiber cloths are gentle and do not leave any ‘bits' behind. You'll quickly see the dark tarnish transfer from the silver to the cloth. When you've finished you can put the cloth into the washing machine so it can be cleaned and used again.

For very tarnished silver or ornate silver with nooks and crannies your cloth won't reach you will need a slightly more technical approach. There still is no need to reach for the chemical silver cleaners though.

Tough Silver Tarnish Remover

• Glass or Plastic Bowl
• Aluminum Foil
• Salt
• Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda or Bicarb)

Simply put a sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of a glass (or plastic) bowl. Add your pieces of tarnished silver. Sprinkle on some salt and bicarbonate of soda (I'd use a tablespoon of each in a medium sized bowl). Add hot water. You will hear sizzling and the tarnish will be absorbed into the water then deposited onto the foil. It is electrolysis in action.

Cleaning silver with foil and soda is really quick and easy. But don't do it too often or if not really necessary as you will over time, wear away your silver.

For more eco cleaning ideas and frugal living tips visit A Self Sufficient Life

Lec Watkins may be contacted at http://www.catalangarden.com thegardener@catalangarden.com
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