How to Clean Sterling Silver Jewelry with Baking Soda
Sterling silver is an alloy of silver that is formed by melting 92.5 percent silver metal by mass and 7.5 percent by of other metals. Pure silver metal is generally too soft to preserve its form after being moulded into different shapes. To give this precious metal some strength, while preserving its ductility, malleability and beauty, it is usually alloyed with copper. Sterling silver is mostly used to make jewellery items. However, the jewellery made up of this lustrous alloy becomes dull and tarnished over time due to oxidation of its top layer. Baking soda is an effective household item you can use to dislodge the tarnish.
Things Required:
– Baking Soda
– Aluminium pan or foil
– Glass or plastic bowl
– Water
– Soft towel
Instructions
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1
Place your silver sterling jewellery items that need cleaning in a small aluminium pan. If you don’t have an aluminium pan, take a glass dish and line it with aluminium foil.
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2
Spread a thin layer of baking soda over the sterling silver jewellery.
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3
Pour enough boiling water to completely submerge all of the jewellery pieces. You will notice bubbles in the dish, and also a rotten egg like smell coming out of the mixture. Don’t worry, it is hydrogen sulphide gas that has been formed by the cleaning action and will not harm your jewellery.
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4
Take a wood or plastic utensil and gently move the jewellery pieces around to make sure all of the sterling silver surface come in contact with the baking soda solution and the aluminium foil.
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5
After some time you will notice that your silver jewellery has started sparkling again.
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6
Once you are sure that all the tarnish is gone, remove the jewellery from the dish and rinse it thoroughly under an excess of tap water.
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7
After having washed all of the jewellery pieces, wipe them gently with a soft towel.
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8
Polish your cleaned sterling silver jewellery with a soft cloth.
