How to Clean Sterling Silver Jewelry

Ah, silver. Gorgeous - when it's clean, and free of tarnish. Unless of course the piece of jewelry is made with oxidized silver, like the earrings below from five forty on Etsy


But what can you do when your bright and shiny silver is dull, and black?

Clean it with baking soda, a piece of aluminum foil, and boiling water! It's simple and organic.

1. line a container, a vessel that is deep enough for the jewelry to be completely covered by water, with aluminum foil

2. sprinkle baking soda over the jewelry

3. pour boiling water over the jewelry, so that the pieces are completely submerged - bubbling will occur

4. use a wooden or plastic utensil to gently stir the solution, and ensure that all silver surfaces come in contact with the aluminum.

5. rinse the jewelry under tap water (don't lose any pieces down the drain!) and blot dry with an absorbent cloth

6. polish with a soft cloth. Voila!

This method of cleaning is recommended only for jewelry that is all sterling silver and those that incorporate plastic, glass or crystal beads. Some gemstones are affected by the baking soda reaction, for example, turquoise.

Chocolate Dip Sterling Silver Earrings from Emms gEM's on Etsy