How to Clean & Polish Silver with Baking Soda & Aluminum

Did you know baking soda and aluminum foil can remove tarnish and clean sterling silver? It’s true! This article covers how to soak your silver with aluminum foil in a baking soda solution to make it bright and shiny again. Plus, we spoke with Green Cleaning Specialist Alicia Sokolowski to learn how to make a baking soda paste that can remove tarnish from silver when soaking isn’t an option. Read on to learn more.

Best Way to Clean Silver Using Baking Soda & Aluminum

Clean silver by mixing baking soda, salt, and boiling water in an aluminum-lined bowl or pan. Place your silver in the bowl and allow it to soak for 1-2 minutes. Then, remove the silver with a pair of tongs. Dry off the silver and buff it with a soft microfiber cloth for extra shine.

Section 1 of 4:

Cleaning Sterling Silver with Baking Soda & Aluminum

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Pick a baking pan big enough to hold all the silver pieces you're cleaning. Use aluminum foil to line the entire pan. Make sure to cover the full interior, so each piece of silver can touch aluminum when placed inside.^{[1]
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Place the water in a pot over high heat. Keep heating the water until it comes to a rolling boil.^{[2]
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Add baking soda, salt, and any optional ingredients to the lined pan. Add equal amounts of baking soda and salt to your pan. Then, slowly pour in a ½ cup (188.29 mL) of white vinegar. This is optional, but the fizzing can help clean your silver faster.^{[3]
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- The vinegar will cause the baking soda to fizz slightly. Pouring the vinegar in slowly helps prevent the mixture from fizzing over.
- Only add enough vinegar to get a slight fizzing effect.
- Add lemon juice to the mixture for more cleaning power.
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Add the boiling water to your pan. Carefully pour the boiling water into the pan after adding the baking soda and salt. It’s not necessary to mix the ingredients once they're added. Simply dump your water into the pan.^{[4]
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- If you don’t have a pan large enough to hold your silver items, put a stopper in the sink and line it with aluminum foil. Then, add the ingredients and pour in the boiling water, just as you would with a pan.
- Alternative option: Try wrapping larger pieces of silver in aluminum foil. Then, soak it in a large container with baking soda and boiling water.
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Place the silver in the water and allow it to soak. Separate the silver pieces in the pan so they aren’t touching. Make sure each piece makes contact with the foil. Allow the pieces to sit for about 1-2 minutes.^{[5]
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- While a few minutes is usually all it takes, if the pieces still look tarnished and dirty let them sit a little longer. Check them regularly until most dirt, debris, and tarnish come off.^{[6]
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- After soaking the pieces, remove them from the hot water with tongs to avoid burning yourself. Set them on an absorbent surface, like a paper towel.^{[7]
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- Alternative option: Line the bottom of a small pot with aluminum foil. Put the silver, water, baking soda, and salt into the pot. Place the pot on high heat to bring the water to a boil. Allow it to boil for about 4 minutes.
Dry the pieces using a rag or paper towel. After they’re dry, gently buff the pieces using a soft cloth. Keep buffing until you've removed any dirt, debris, or tarnish and the pieces are shiny.^{[8]
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Repeat the process if necessary. Very dirty or tarnished sterling silver may not be completely clean after the first wash. If your silver is still dull and dirty, repeat the process once more.^{[9]
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- This method is also effective for cleaning sterling silver jewelry.
- While this method is widely recommended to remove tarnish from sterling silver, some silver experts feel it causes surface damage, so proceed with caution.
EXPERT TIP

Marcus Shields
House Cleaning Professional
Marcus is the owner of Maid Easy, a local residential cleaning company in Phoenix, Arizona. His cleaning roots date back to his grandmother who cleaned homes for valley residents in the 60’s through the 70’s. After working in tech for over a decade, he came back to the cleaning industry and opened Maid Easy to pass his family’s tried and true methods to home dwellers across the Phoenix Metro Area.

Marcus Shields
House Cleaning Professional

Use baking soda for small stains or if you're in a pinch for time. Baking soda is a quick and easy method to clean silver, but it might not get your items as clean as a commercial product would.

Section 2 of 4:

Using a Baking Soda Paste to Polish Silver

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Combine baking soda and water in a small bowl. Sokolowski recommends mixing baking soda and water in a ratio of 3:1 to make the paste.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.} Add more water to make a runnier paste for more delicate items.
- Add lemon juice to speed up the chemical reaction.
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Apply the paste to the silver, then rinse and dry with a soft cloth. Rub the paste on the piece to polish the silver. Then, rinse the silver with cold water and dry with a microfiber cloth, Sokolowski advises.^{[11]
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Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.} After rinsing, make sure the silver piece is completely dry before storing it.^{[12]
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- For heavily stained silver, allow the paste to sit on the silver for 2-5 minutes.
- For extra shine, buff silver with a soft microfiber cloth, says Sokolowski.^{[13]
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  Alicia Sokolowski
  Green Cleaning Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.}

Section 3 of 4:

More DIY Ways to Clean Silver

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Lemon-Lime Soda The citric acid and carbonation in lemon-lime soda can also effectively clean your silver. Just soak silver for about an hour in a container with enough soda to cover the items. Then, rinse the silver with clean water, dry it, and buff it with a soft cloth.^{[14]
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- This method only removes light tarnish.
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Ketchup Squeeze a dime-sized amount of ketchup on a clean paper towel and then rub it on your silver. Buff the silver with a microfiber cloth, rinse it in clean water, and dry it with a soft cloth.^{[15]
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- This method is most effective for removing light tarnishing.
- If there are spots that won’t come clean, dab ketchup onto them and allow them to sit for 15 minutes, or use a soft-bristle toothbrush to rub ketchup into the spots.
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Toothpaste Squeeze a pea-sized amount of non-abrasive, non-gel toothpaste on a soft cloth. Then, use the cloth to rub the plain white toothpaste all over the silver piece. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes before rinsing and drying it off.^{[16]
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- Make sure you only use plain white toothpaste to clean silver jewelry.
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Dish Soap For more regular cleanings, fill a glass dish or other container with warm water. Add a few drops of mild dish soap and swish around. Then, place your silver into the soapy water and gently wash it with a soft sponge. Rinse it in clean water and dry it with a soft cloth.^{[17]
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- This method gently cleans your silver but may not be as effective for removing tarnish.

Section 4 of 4:

FAQs about Cleaning Silver at Home

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How often should you clean silver? There’s no single answer to how often silver should be cleaned. It can depend on how you store it, how often you use it, and even what the weather is like where you live. Exposure to sulfur in the air or even the local water supply makes silver tarnish more quickly.^{[18]
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- Proper storage in an anti-tarnish cloth can help slow down or prevent the silver from tarnishing.
A dark gray or black oxidation appears on the surface of the silver piece, dulling the shine and making it appear dingy. However, some silver items look beautiful with a light patina of oxidation, so you may prefer that look.
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Can you damage silver by cleaning it yourself? Silver is a relatively soft metal. Using abrasives to clean it can scratch the surface, dulling the shine over time. Always use soft cloths and gentle detergents when cleaning your silver to preserve the finish.^{[19]
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- However, sterling silver is stronger and more durable than pure silver and can stand up to mild cleaning.
- If you’re working with antique silver pieces, use soapy water for cleanings.
- Consider leaving tarnish on antique pieces, as it can give them character and definition. If you do decide to remove the tarnish, consult a silver conservator to determine the best way to do so.^{[20]
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Does removing tarnish with baking soda damage sterling silver? Pure silver is a relatively soft metal that is easily scratched. However, sterling silver is combined with a small amount of copper (and possibly other metal alloys) to make it more durable. Since baking soda is a mild abrasive, it’s safe for sterling silver.^{[21]
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- Using the baking soda and aluminum method to remove tarnish relies on a chemical reaction and doesn’t use the baking soda as an abrasive.
- However, when placing silver on the aluminum, be gentle to avoid creating surface scratches on your silver with the sharp edges of the foil.
Tarnish forms through a chemical reaction when sulfur in the air combines with silver to create a thin layer of black silver sulfide. The baking soda and aluminum cleaning method creates a mild electric charge that transfers the tarnish to the aluminum foil.^{[22]
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How can you tell if your silver is sterling? Look for a stamp or marking to identify real sterling silver. This stamp indicates the silver’s purity level. Sterling silver has a purity rating of 925 or higher. Or, check to see if a magnet sticks to the piece. Silver is non-magnetic, so if the magnet firmly sticks to the piece, it’s not sterling silver.^{[23]
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- Sterling silver has a small amount of other metal to make it harder, so there may be a light magnetic effect.

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How can you clean silver?

Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist
Alicia Sokolowski is a Green Cleaning Specialist and the President and co-CEO of AspenClean, a green cleaning company in Vancouver, British Columbia. With over 2 decades of experience, Alicia specializes in creating a healthier, green alternative to chemical-based cleaning products and services. AspenClean develops and manufactures its own line of 100% Natural, EcoCert® certified, and EWG verified™ cleaning products. AspenClean’s glass cleaner was voted Parent’s Green Pick 2020 by readers of the Parents’ magazine. Alicia holds a CPA designation and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Finance from the University of Toronto.

Alicia Sokolowski

Green Cleaning Specialist

Expert Answer

You can rub baking soda paste on the silver item with a microfiber cloth. Use a toothbrush for cleaning areas that are difficult to reach. Then rinse with cold water. Finally, wipe with a microfiber cloth to make it shine.

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Which household item can you use for cleaning silver?

Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist
Alicia Sokolowski is a Green Cleaning Specialist and the President and co-CEO of AspenClean, a green cleaning company in Vancouver, British Columbia. With over 2 decades of experience, Alicia specializes in creating a healthier, green alternative to chemical-based cleaning products and services. AspenClean develops and manufactures its own line of 100% Natural, EcoCert® certified, and EWG verified™ cleaning products. AspenClean’s glass cleaner was voted Parent’s Green Pick 2020 by readers of the Parents’ magazine. Alicia holds a CPA designation and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Finance from the University of Toronto.

Alicia Sokolowski

Green Cleaning Specialist

Expert Answer

You can use baking soda paste to clean silver. Combine baking soda and hot water in the ratio of 3:1 to make the paste.

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Can I use this with gems?

Community Answer

If your gems are all genuine semi-precious or precious stones and there are no glues or enamel paints involved with their settings, you can clean them with this solution.

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Make sure to completely dry your silver before storing it to avoid water spots.

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Always dry and buff your silver pieces with a soft towel or microfiber cloth.

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Be careful with silver jewelry with enamel pieces. Baking soda may remove or damage it.

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Warnings

Never remove sterling silver from boiling water with your bare hands. Use a pair of tongs to prevent burning your skin.

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Only use baking soda to clean sterling silver. These methods may damage plated or pure silver. If you're unsure whether your jewelry or other pieces are sterling silver, clean them using a mild dish soap with water.

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