Use Aluminum Foil and Baking Soda To Quickly Clean Your Sterling Silver Jewelry

Most sterling silver contains copper which oxidizes when exposed to the elements. This causes your sterling silver to tarnish. Follow the steps below for an easy way to clean your sterling silver:

1. Gather all of your tarnished pieces together and place them in a plastic or glass dish that you have lined with aluminum foil. Make sure that all of the silver touches the aluminum.
2. Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda over your jewelry.
3. Pour enough boiling water over the jewelry to immerse it completely. Bubbling should occur. After the bubbling begins you should notice a rotten egg like smell as sulfuric gases are released by the cleaning action.
4. Stir the jewelry with a wooden spoon to make sure all of the silver comes in contact with the aluminum foil. Continue stirring until all of your silver is clean and shiny.
5. Remove the silver and rinse it with tap water. Be sure to close the drain so that you don't lose any small pieces like an earring!
6. Rub your jewelry dry with a soft cloth.

Tips and Warnings:

To prevent or slow future tarnishing store your jewelry in air tight plastic bags. You can get anti-tarnish strips or moisture absorbent packets to place in the bags to further slow down tarnishing.

This method of cleaning may be harmful to certain gemstones, for example, turquoise. I have used it with pearls and had good luck. But if you are in doubt, try using a polishing cloth designed specifically for cleaning sterling silver such as a Sunshine Cloth.

Here is a link for a video demonstrating the technique:

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/160769_clean-sterling-silver-jewelry.htm