The Best Way to Burnish and Clean Silver: 4 Home Remedies Put to the Test
- Posted on 28th December 2021
- in Antique Silver, antique silver bowls, antique silver buyers, Antique Silver Tea Set, antique sterling silver, Antique Sterling Silver Trays
- by Alan
If you’ve got a set of silver lying around, you might have noticed that it’s starting to look a little less than gorgeous. That means it’s time to polish it. But do you really want to use a silver polisher that potentially includes harmful chemicals? You’re going to be eating with these utensils, after all, so you definitely want to make sure you don’t use something that will make your guests sick. If you’re wondering how to burnish silver without using any kind of chemical, you’ve come to the right place. Here are four different all-natural ways you can burnish and clean your silver.
The Soaking Method
If you want the best way to clean silver, you may want to try out this soaking method. First, take a pan or glass baking dish and line it with aluminum foil. Next, start boiling water. Once it has reached a boil. About a cup is all you need.
In the foil-lined pan, add a tablespoon of sea salt and a tablespoon of baking soda. Try to sprinkle these two ingredients all around the foil. Now slowly add in a half cup of white vinegar. This will cause a reaction, so be careful. Then pour in the boiling water. Now slowly add your silver pieces to the pan, making sure each touches the foil lining. Also try to make sure there’s no overlap between the pieces.
In about 30 seconds, any tarnishing should be gone! Carefully pull each piece out of the hot water using tongs and buff off any remaining spots using a rag.
The Ketchup Remedy
This may not sound like the best way to clean silver plate or other items, but it does actually work! Just take a paper towel and put a bit of ketchup on it. Gently rub the ketchup onto the tarnished part of the item. If it doesn’t seem to be helping, let it sit for about 15 minutes, then buff it using a soft cloth. You may need to use a toothbrush to get into any small crevices.
Corn Starch
Another option is to use corn starch. Mix a bit of corn starch into water to make a paste, then cover any tarnished spots with it. Let it dry before you rub it off. Use a cloth that’s slightly abrasive, such as a paper towel or cheesecloth. If you don’t have any corn starch, you can use cream of tartar instead.
Bathroom Products
Your bathroom may have the solution on how to clean sterling silver. There are a couple of products you can use here. Toothpaste can help polish silver. Just apply to the spot with a rag and wash it off. Chances are, your silver is sparkling now. Just make sure the toothpaste does not have any baking soda or other abrasive ingredients. Those can damage your silver.
Your hair conditioner is another personal cleaning product that can also be used to clean your silver. Again, just rub it on and wipe it off.
Finally, try your hand sanitizer. It keeps your hands germ-free, but it will also remove any tarnish from your silver.