How to clean silver vessels at home

How to clean silver vessels at home, pooja items and other intricate things easily with less effort.

Easy method to clean blackened parts in three simple steps. Full video and step by step pictures detailed post.

Jump to:

• What you need to clean silver?
• Why I love this method?
• FAQs
• Other methods
• My notes
• Video
• How to clean silver easily at home

Most of us have silver vessels or items in our home like plates, bowls, spoons, serve wares, pooja items.

It turns black, tarnish due to oxidation. Though we clean with other ways like using lemon juice and salt or by rubbing ash (viboothi), this method is so handy which I learnt way back from Shanthi's blog.

This method is found everywhere in the internet ever since quick and short videos became famous (Ex. Nifty).

There are many more methods like using tomato ketchup, toothpaste etc. But this is my go to way of cleaning my silver vessels and at times use for pooja items too.

The plain silver plates and tumblers goes in and comes out shiny like a magic in this method.

The one with intricate works needs very little effort of scrubbing either with metal scrubber or a brush.

Just aluminium foil and cooking soda does the magic.

Most of you know about this by now, but I am sharing for those who are not aware of this, including my co-sis who requested to share this method 😊. Stay tuned for recipe posts lined up.

What you need to clean silver?

• A large vessel to boil enough water to immerse the silverware
• Aluminium foil
• Cooking soda
• A metal scrubber like this (Affiliate link)

Yes only that!

Why I love this method?

Because it is easy, quick and effective. Perfect for bulk cleaning where you cannot sit and polish so many items.

FAQs

How this works?

The magic behind this hands-free silver polish is the way that the tarnish coating on the silver reacts with aluminum. Sulfur atoms, which adhere to the silver to create silver sulfide - that dark, tarnished look - are carried by the solution and transfer to the aluminum, forming aluminum sulfide and leaving your silver sparkling.

Source

How often can we use this method?

Once we clean the silver using this method, it stays decently good for 2 to 3 months.

I suggest to follow this only 2-3 times a year.

Can we avoid scrubbing with metal scrubber?

Yes you can use a scouring pad instead. You can repeat the process if it is not effective enough to bring the shine.

I am worried about corrosion, won't it reduce the weight?

We are only doing this once in a while and I am sure it won't be noticeable.

You can also use a corrosion inhibitor which you can buy online if you are too concerned. But I have not used this as I find no need for it.

For everyday cleaning, this is not needed. Just use lemon juice.

Why it did not work for me?

It's pure science how this works. So here are some reasons it did not work for you:

• You are not use aluminium foil.
• The baking soda/ cooking soda is expired, use a fresh batch/ different brand.
• Ratio of water, aluminium foil and cooking soda is less.
• It would not work in metals other than silver.

Other methods

Polish silver other than this method, perfect for tiny items and less in numbers:

• Using ash (viboothi) and a cotton cloth. Apply all over the silver and rub using the cloth. It will shine.
• Use tooth paste.
• Tomato ketch up.
• Lemon juice, warm water. Salt if needed (wash away immediately, do not soak

My notes

I have only few silver items that are bought before or during my marriage. Those days, the silver quality was much better without too much of mixing.

You can say it by looks of it when you compare with the silver we get these days in Jewelry shops.

Those days it was not this sturdy and bright. The silver looks slightly yellowish.

Now, it is whitish side, more sturdy which makes me think there is some purity issues.

Also it doesn't get dark / black like it used to be with the old day silver.

So I suggest not to use this method if you feel the same way. Anyways it is not turning black as well. You may need not this much process for that type of silver.

Cleaning a pure silver will be working like a charm for this method!

Check out my post on how to clean brass pooja items.

Video

How to clean silver easily at home

1. Firstly, take a large vessel, boil enough water to immerse all the silverware.
2. After that, add a sheet of aluminium foil torn into bits.
3. Then, add a tablespoon of cooking soda to the boiling water. If you have more water, add extra.

4. Add the tarnish silverware carefully.

5. Continue boiling furthermore for 2-5 mins.

6. Take out carefully using metal tongs.

7. Clean the intricate parts with a metal scrubber or a brush as needed.

Wash and pat dry.

I clean the spoons, tumblers, plate and bowl and it works like charm. I clean lamps also at times if it's too tarnished.