Aluminum foil and baking soda pull tarnish off silver through a simple chemical reaction, no elbow grease required. Line a bowl, sink, or baking pan with a sheet of foil, shiny side up, then stir about 2 tablespoons of baking soda into a cup of hot water. Set your silver pieces directly on the foil so they're touching it, not just floating in the water, and let them sit 1 to 5 minutes for light tarnish or longer for heavier buildup. Remove, rinse under warm water, and buff dry with a soft cloth.
Skip the Silver Polish, Grab Foil Instead
Hello Neighbor! I finally worked up the nerve to open my mother's silver chest last month, the one I have been storing in the hall closet since she passed away seven years ago.
Every piece inside had gone dull and gray, and I nearly talked myself into buying an expensive polishing kit before I asked my sister-in-law, Carol, what she would do. She lives two doors down and promptly came over and showed me her trick.
It uses two things already sitting in your kitchen, and there is no scrubbing involved. Below is how we turned them back into the treasure my mom left me.
Be Well,
Anisa
The Foil and Baking Soda Trick
More Ways to Use It
This works on silver plated jewelry too, just check for glued-on stones first, since soaking can loosen the glue. A small piece of foil tucked into a silverware drawer liner can also help slow new tarnish from forming between uses.
Ask the Genius: Stainless Steel
Not really, since stainless doesn't tarnish the way silver does. Save this one for genuine silver or silver-plated pieces, that's where it really shines.
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