How to Clean Solid Silver

Knowing how to clean solid silver is an important consideration when displaying expensive silver pieces or entertaining guests with the best solid silverware. Wearing highly polished silver jewelry gives you confidence and accentuates your outfit when stepping out for a night of entertainment. Regular cleaning and storing your silver correctly will make the cleaning and polishing process much easier and keep your solid silver items, as well as silver-plated items, much brighter and more attractive.

Instructions

1

Make a paste of lemon juice, salt and baking soda. Add just enough lemon juice to the baking soda to form a paste that is the same consistency as toothpaste.

2

Remove dirt and grime by brushing the paste onto the solid silver with a soft-bristle toothbrush. Allow the mixture to dry on the jewelry.

3

Brush off the dry paste along with dirt buildup and grime with a clean soft-bristle toothbrush under running water.

4

Polish the tarnish from the silver to continue the cleaning process. Fill the sink or a container that is large enough to accommodate the solid silver item and enough liquid solution to cover it.

5

Prepare the liquid solution by filling the sink with reasonably hot water and laundry water softener at the ratio of one quart of hot water to 1 tbsp. of laundry water softener.

6

Place a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom of the sink and set the solid silver item on top of it. The process will remove all tarnish within approximately 10 seconds.

7

Remove the silver from the solution, set aside and allow it to dry.

8

Polish the silver by rubbing it vigorously with a jeweler's rouge cloth, available at jewelry stores, to complete the cleaning process.