I love sterling silver jewelry, but the care of it can sometimes take a bit of time, not to mention the expense of the polishes and pastes or cloths.
For quick polishes, when the item is just lightly tarnished, a Sunshine silver polishing cloth will do the trick with very little elbow grease. These cloths are available from my shop for only $3.99 and can be used over and over again until they are black, at which time they should be replaced.
But what do you do when your item is just covered in tarnish? There are many products available (Wright's silver polish is a good one) but the cost of these can add up over time.
Never fear - all that you need to polish your silver is more than likely sitting in your home right now. Assemble and combine these simple items:
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda
- a crumpled up piece of aluminum foil
- a bowl of warm water (glass or plastic container, not metal)
Just place your silver item in this solution for one hour and polish with a soft cloth, such as a piece of an old cotton T shirt.
Voila! The piece will be bright and shiny at very little cost to you. Be sure to use this technique only for normal silver items. Those with rhinestones or other stones shouldn't be cleaned with this method, since it coudl dislodge or damage the stones.
