Hat-tip to The Green Phone Booth for this excellent tip.
If you have silver jewelry that needs cleaning, look no further than your kitchen cabinet. By using a couple of common household items, you can clean all of your silver jewelry in a matter of minutes.
Start with a glass or ceramic bowl. Line the bowl with aluminum foil, and add a tablespoon of salt (I used non-iodized). Place your jewelry items on top of the salt, and pour a cup of boiling water into the bowl. Stir gently to dissolve the salt, and withing 2-3 minutes, your jewelry will be clean. Rinse with clean water and buff slightly with a towel to ensure there are no spots left.
A chemical reaction occurs between the salt and the foil, thereby removing the tarnish from the silver. When I did this, there was a distinct sulpher smell, and I could see debris floating around the bottom of the bowl.
Take look at a pair of tarnished earrings I had in my jewelry box. The one on the left was not treated, and the one on the right received a bath in the salt/foil bowl. While the polished earring is not 100% sparkling, it is miles better than it was before. And the best part is I didn’t have to use any toxic chemicals or purchase any specialized products!
Delora is a D.C. native and mother of two boys. She can often be found outside in the garden, or pontificating on twitter as @delora.
