Comments on: How to Clean Silver Jewelry

By: Janet

Janet — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:45:57 +0000

Amazing! I was about to go out and try to find some kind of silver cleaning cloth, but Googled a question, instead. I had three BLACK silver chains, one with a cross, and one with a filigree heart. I also thought I smelled a slight sulfur odor…no problem. Soooo easy……no cost……..and I also thank the person who gave us the chemistry lesson. I thought it maybe was something like that. Can’t wait to share this info!

By: Artsy

Artsy — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 15:17:29 +0000

The salt and aluminum foil technique is working nicely on my husband’s cufflinks – thank you! I’m watching it work right now! I think it’s been in there for about 5 minutes and the tarnish is almost all gone!

By: Apsith

Apsith — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:04:31 +0000

Thank you so much! This worked perfectly cleaning a 10 year old silver baseball pendant my dad left me when he died.

By: Debi

Debi — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 18:53:29 +0000

I cleaned my jewelry in seconds! Salt + hot water and foil = GREAT RESULT!!!!!

By: Pete H

Pete H — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 15:26:08 +0000

Baking Soda instead of Salt works the same way and is much less abrasive to silver jewelry that contains Gemstones. I have cleaned my silver rings that have Emeralds and they look just as new as the day I bought them (using baking soda).

By: Betty

Betty — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 21:15:07 +0000

Also, the toothpaste works. I just cleaned an entire charm bracelet with it. It was easier to grab at the moment than the other materials and it went very quickly. I will try the water, salt and aluminum next time. Hallelujah! Thank you!! PS. I also enjoyed the chemistry lesson.

By: Jeanette

Jeanette — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 11:47:36 +0000

I tried this, I was amazed!! I was about to spend money on a new pair of earrings but they went from a dirty shade of gray to possibly looking better than the day I brought them, the clear stone in them was so shiny too, I only waited 1 minute, I shall clean all my silver jewelry this way in the future.

A VERY BIG THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME TIME & MONEY!

By: Sue

Sue — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 16:13:34 +0000

Unbelievable. The foil method ROCKS! I’m stunned, especially after wasting so much money on those crappy “jewelry cleaners” in a jar for so many years. You don’t even have to rub the silver! THANK YOU!! I just love chemistry . . .

By: Linda

Linda — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 18:31:11 +0000

I inherited 2 beautiful Norwegian brooches and a necklace and earrings. All silver and all black. Due to the intricacy of all of them I was afraid of ruining them and didn’t know how to clean them. Now I do! I am wearing them to my nieces wedding today!!

By: Trishy

Trishy — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:12:23 +0000

Oh boy … I just have to point out that there is nothing magnetic in silver, aluminum, or salt. The methods works very well for cleaning silver, but it most certainly does not create a magnet. It works by creating an electrolytic cell: the silver and the aluminum serve as the cathode and anode, and the salt ferries electrons back and forth.

As far as stones, I have only tried this with jewelry that contained cubic zirconia, and the stones are fine.

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:38:26 +0000

Don’t try the foil and salt with any kind of stone. I did with 3 different kind of stones and it tarnishes, fades, ruins and damages the stone. It works wonders on the silver but be careful with stones, my stones look faded and worn out and looks worse than it did before I did it. Just be careful, one of my stones fell out.

By: Stacey

Stacey — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:43:32 +0000

Thanks I cleaned my silver earrings with the salt water/aluminum foil method and it worked wonders. Thanks!

By: Tera Hungler

Tera Hungler — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:41:48 +0000

The salt and foil really works!!! How great is that?

By: Cathy

Cathy — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 03:49:30 +0000

The salt and foil method works – I used it on a silver pendant with 2 large pieces of turquoise and it is beautiful. No harm to the turquoise. You can smell the chemical reaction – like sulfur – at least that’s what I thought. It’s pretty cool. Thank you.

By: Nat

Nat — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:39:56 +0000

Use an old toothbrush and gently rub toothpaste into your silver, leave for ten minutes and then wash off, job done!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:12:44 +0000

Does anyone have an answer for Jackie? I’m wondering the same thing about salt and aluminum, only with amber.

By: Jackie

Jackie — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 10:54:15 +0000

Does the salt and aluminum harm stones, i.e. black onyx? Thanks.

By: V

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:21:23 +0000

Who needs expensive cleaners when you can use cheap things you have right in your own kitchen?!

By: Jeannette

Jeannette — Tue, 05 May 2009 01:45:15 +0000

The tip on cleaning silver with aluminum foil, salt and hot water does work. It’s quick and easy. It looks like the day I bought it.
Thank you…