Do you have a collection of silver jewellery that you are planning to throw away because they changed colour? It is normal for gold and silver jewellery to turn a darker shade due to constant use. This is why it is advised to have them polished every now and then.
What happens when you can’t find a store-bought polisher? Or when you’d rather not use chemicals on your precious jewellery? We go the DIY route that is cheap, fast and as effective! All that is required are a few pantry items that you probably already have at home.
You can use this method to shine your silver jewellery and other silver items, but
do not use it for gold jewellery. Also, remember to use ingredients in moderation so that you do not end up with a cleaning solution that is too strong for your silverware.
Tools
Aluminium foil
Hot water
Baking soda
White vinegar
Salt
Bowl
Clean cloth
Steps
- Boil some water till it’s hot.
- In the bowl, place the aluminium foil to cover the base of the bowl. Ensure that the shiny part of the foil is placed up, then pour enough hot water to put your jewellery in.
- Before putting the jewellery in, pour a small quantity of salt and baking soda into the hot water. Allow the salt to dissolve completely so that it doesn’t scratch your jewellery.
- Add a few drops of white vinegar to the solution. This should produce a sizzling effect due to the mixture of vinegar and baking soda.
- When all ingredients are combined, put your silverware into the mixture and leave for a few, minutes. You should be able to see the colour start to change back to the original silver.
- After a few minutes, remove the jewellery from water and clean with a fibre cloth.
With this simple homemade solution, watch as your previously dull silver goes back to sparkling.
About the author: Amina Salau is a writer and editor running The Illuminated Pen. You can find her online at www.theilluminatedpen.com and on Twitter (@_Aminah)
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This article was first published on 21st January 2015
Comments (1)
Great idea. Nice thoughts on restoring the shine to dull rings. Hope it really works. Thanks for sharing.