Homemade Silver Cleaner – Cleaning Tarnished Silver

Many households have silver items in one form or another. Whether it is silverware, puja items or decorative things (to name a few), if you are one of those households that hide silver because it has become dark and tarnished over time, watch this week’s Tip Tuesday! Learn how to make a homemade silver polish or cleaner with common household ingredients.

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26 thoughts on “Homemade Silver Cleaner – Cleaning Tarnished Silver

  1. Thank you for the homemade silver polish. I have a necklace and earrings that I have not worn due to tarnish. They are now beautiful again.

  2. Hi!
    I have tried the same thing, but just first applied colgate over it and used water and vinegar + baking soda + salt and same procedure. Due to colgate u don’t have to scrub at all. I was silver divas with this method and it worked really great n very little scrubbing ( actually almost no scrubbing).

  3. Hi…that’s great. Got a couple of questions.

    -can that water mix be re used, say for a different article? Add more hot water?

    -Might this work for tarnished pewter that used to have a bright finish?

    Cheers

  4. Great tip! Didn’t even feel like I cleaned the idols. I used to clean with Pitambari powder and with tooth brush but it used to eat all my time. Thanks for the excellent tip.

  5. Great tip. I have all my puja kurties of silver . I use white toothpaste to clean any silver items with toothbrush. You can also use Colgate powder to clean silvers using toothbrush and rinse OT with water. You will get great shining in less than minute.

  6. Thanks a lot for silver cleaning tip, i have cleaned all my puja items. May GOD bless you and your website..i have learnt a lot from you.

  7. Another easy way for smaller items would be to use toothpaste and apply it on the silver item directly. Scrub it lightly and see the difference.

  8. Namaste ladies,

    For many years I have used a similar technique, one that allows the cleaning of larger items such as serving trays and pitchers.
    Use a plastic wash basin at least the size used to spoak your tired feet. Lay a piece of aluminum foil in the bottom, pour in hot water to fill to about the three quarters level. Add a half cup powdered laundery water softener, swishing it around until it is completely disolved. (White King is a good brand and I am sure there are others equal to it.) Place the tarnished items on top of the foil and let them rest. You can fill the basin with as mant items as it will hold. As long as there are one or more items touching the foil all the rest will be cleaned. Then remove each item, wipe it with a clean cloth to remove the film that developes, rince under cool running water and dry.

    – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

    Now I have a question for you. How do you effectively get rid of plaster dust. I have not been cooking and sharing my discoveries with you and your fan for several weeks because my kitchen was being completely refitted. Try as they may, the workmen could not fully contain the plaster dust. I have been told, “Vacuum, vacuum and vacuum more.” There HAS to be a better and less time consuming method. Any helpful suggestions from your fans out there?

    OH! I almost forgot; I found a color print of Annapura. She is now in my new kitchen watching over all I do. With luck I will soon be back trying out more of your recipes and sharing the reslts my experiments.

    Your adoring fan, Rich

    1. Hi Rich,

      Thanks for your suggestion!

      Regarding the plaster dust, you may just have to go over everything with a damp towel and then wash it out when it gets dirty and start again. I really don’t think vacuuming will get all of it because a film of the plaster will still remain. Maybe someone else may have another idea. Good luck!

  9. Thank you for the wonderful tip girls. I will try it today. I was always scared to use Silver Polish available in shops as it contains lot of chemicals. This is very safe.

  10. Hi, I just tried this with a silver chain that I stopped wearing as it was too difficult to clean, and the result was wonderful!!!

    I have a silver tea service and was wondering if you, or any of your followers have tried this technique with larger items, and if so, what was the result?

    Thanks

    1. If you soak it in the hot water that remains behind after you have boiled potatoes works just as well. Yes I use this method a lot, though I refer to use the potato water method more often, as I can do this more regularly & revent major tarnishing. I use my uja thali & daily drinking glasses (of silver) daily, so they don’t tarnish. I hand wash them with the liquid dish detergent. In case of the larger items, scrubbing them with a aste of regular toothaste & the scouring owder like comet works like magic, I just use the synthetic scrub to scrub the silver.

    2. If you soak it in the hot water that remains behind after you have boiled potatoes works just as well. Yes I use this method a lot, though I refer to use the potato water method more often, as I can do this more regularly & revent major tarnishing. I use my uja thali & daily drinking glasses (of silver) daily, so they don’t tarnish. I hand wash them with the liquid dish detergent. In case of the larger items, scrubbing them with a aste of regular toothaste & the scouring powder like comet works like magic, I just use the synthetic scrub to scrub the silver.

  11. We can also do this in pressure cooker.Put all pooja items like small deepams,glass,katoris till everthing is immersed in enough water and 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda and wait till 3 whistle …just try this tip ladies and see the magic…more effective than this microvable tip.I have tried this tip many times and this works as magic.Saves lots of time of scrubbing and rubbing the silver vessels.

    1. this reminds me i have heard of infant’s milk bottles placed in pressure cooker to sanitize it, and if this method also cleans other small utensils it’s great!

    2. hi,

      i tried ur method as i am lazy to boil and soak and wait …the pressure cooker method works great..Thanks a lot

    3. That’s a great advice and it works amazing. I used to do this all the time when I was wearing silver. I still do it for my golden pieces to clean them and it also works this way for me.

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