A Step by Step Guide on How to Clean Sterling Silver With Toothpaste
Cleaning your sterling silver is easer than you think with this step by step guide on how to clean sterling silver with toothpaste.
Love your sterling silver jewelry but don’t know how to keep it clean?
Sterling silver is beautiful and is a favorite for craftsmen. If you’re fortunate to own real silver tableware or a sterling silver necklace, you know that this lovely metal will tarnish over time and blacken.
Silver polishes sold commercially do a great job of removing tarnish, but are very toxic to people and the environment. But there are also natural ways to polish your silver with a product you already have at home.
Read on here to learn how to clean sterling silver with toothpaste.
Use Whatever Toothpaste You Have At Home
Start by taking the silver piece and wetting it with warm water, making sure the entire piece is saturated.
Grab a tube of toothpaste. Veterans of this cleaning technique recommend fluoride, tartar-control paste, but you can use any kind you have. Using a small amount, not any more than you would to brush, spread the toothpaste all over the wet silver piece.
If the silver is quite tarnished, you can rub the toothpaste in, especially if there are nooks and crannies in the piece, and then let the piece sit a minute or two, so the paste can work.
Rinse, Rub and Repeat
Gently rinse the silver in more water, rub it with a soft cloth, and inspect. If tarnish remains, repeat the process. The bigger and more tarnished the silver, the more elbow grease and repetitions you might need.
Using Toothpaste For Sterling Silver
Commercial toothpaste contains a form of silica that reacts with the silver chemically to remove stains.
Although toothpaste is very effective as a cleanser, take care when using it to clean your sterling silver necklace or other delicate silver jewelry. Using too much or too abrasive a formula might scratch or damage the piece. You’re looking for shine, which only takes a dab of paste and a soft cloth to work it in.
If you have an extra-large silver item, such as a serving tray, or teapot, you might need to skip the toothpaste method. Other options for large pieces include a baking soda/kosher salt soak, vinegar or lemon juice, or even a chemical polish for extremely tarnished pieces.
Now You Know How to Clean Sterling Silver With Toothpaste
Now that you have learned how to clean sterling silver with toothpaste via these easy steps, don’t be afraid to invest in sterling silver rings, necklaces, bracelets, or earrings as the perfect gifts for your loved one, or even yourself.
Should you find yourself in possession of your great-grandma’s silver tableware, you can now polish it cheaply, and without exposing yourself to harsh chemicals. Then, use your beautiful silver at your table, or sell it online. Since it’s so easy to maintain the beauty of sterling silver, more people are interested in obtaining it as an investment.
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