How to polish silver: 10 tricks that help your silver like new

For Shimmer products, if your sterling silver jewelry loses its shine, simply bring it to us, and we'll restore its brilliance. However, if you prefer to brighten your silver at home, Shimmer shares 10 methods below to quickly address tarnished silver.

Cleaning Silver with Laundry Detergent

The acids in laundry detergent create chemical reactions that attract dirt and grime from your silver, restoring its shine.

What you'll need:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 piece of aluminum foil
• A small amount of laundry detergent (no harsh bleach)

Instructions:

1. Place the aluminum foil in the warm water mixed with laundry detergent.
2. Add your silver jewelry to the solution and let it soak for 1-2 minutes.
3. Remove the jewelry and dry it thoroughly.

Cleaning Silver with Ketchup

Tomato ketchup contains natural acids that are gentle enough not to damage your precious metals, yet effective enough to remove tarnish and brighten your sterling silver jewelry. 

What you'll need:

• Some tomato ketchup
• Soft cloths, paper towels, or a soft-bristled toothbrush

Instructions:

1. Apply ketchup to the tarnished areas of your silver.
2. Gently rub the silver with a soft cloth or paper towel.
3. For more stubborn tarnish, soak the jewelry in ketchup for 15 minutes, then rub it clean.
4. For intricate designs, use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean hard-to-reach areas.

Cleaning Silver with Cornstarch

This gentle abrasive helps lift away tarnish, making your silver look brand new again

What you'll need:

• Cornstarch
• Water
• Soft cloths

Instructions:

1. Mix cornstarch with a small amount of water to form a paste.
2. Apply the paste to the tarnished areas of your silver.
3. Gently rub the silver with a soft cloth.
4. Rinse the silver with clean water and dry it thoroughly.

Cleaning Silver with Hand Sanitizer

Nước rửa tay diệt khuẩn cũng là một chất tẩy rửa an toàn mà hiệu quả cho trang sức bạc của bạn.

What you'll need:

• Hand sanitizer
• Soft cloths

Instructions:

1. Apply a small amount of hand sanitizer to a soft cloth.
2. Gently rub the cloth on the tarnished areas of your silver.
3. For more stubborn tarnish, you can apply hand sanitizer directly to the silver and let it sit for a few minutes before rubbing it clean.
4. Rinse the silver with clean water and dry it thoroughly.

Cleaning Silver with Lemon-Lime Soda

The citric acid in lemon juice and the abrasive action of baking soda work together to remove tarnish and restore your silver's shine

What you'll need:

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 lemon

Instructions:

1. Submerge your jewelry in a bowl of lemon and baking soda for about 1 hour.
2. Remove the jewelry, rinse it with clean water, and dry it thoroughly.

Cleaning Silver with toothpaste

The mild abrasives in toothpaste can help remove tarnish and restore your silver's shine

What you'll need:

• Toothpaste (non-gel, white toothpaste is best)
• A soft-bristled toothbrush or soft cloths

Instructions:

1. Apply a small amount of toothpaste directly to your silver jewelry.
2. Gently rub the silver with a toothbrush or cloth, focusing on tarnished areas.
3. For heavily tarnished pieces, you can let the toothpaste sit on the silver for 10-15 minutes before rubbing it clean.
4. Rinse the silver thoroughly with clean water.
5. Dry the silver completely with a soft cloth.

Cleaning Silver with Window Cleaner

Window cleaner is also a useful cleaning agent for brightening lightly oxidized silver jewelry.

What you'll need:

• Window cleaner
• Soft cloths

Instructions:

1. Spray window cleaner onto a corner of a soft cloth until it is damp.
2. Gently rub the cloth on the tarnished areas of your silver.
3. Continue rubbing until the silver reaches your desired level of shine.

Cleaning Silver with vinegar

Vinegar is a fantastic cleaning agent that can be used to clean a myriad of items in your home, including your silver jewelry.

What you'll need:

• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 2 tablespoons baking soda

Instructions:

1. Mix the vinegar and baking soda together to form a paste.
2. Submerge your silver jewelry in the paste for 2-3 hours.
3. Remove the jewelry, rinse it with clean water, and dry it thoroughly with a soft cloth.

Cleaning Silver with lemon and salt 

Besides lemon and baking soda, lemon and salt also make a powerful silver cleaning solution. Many consider it the most effective way to restore shine to silver.

What you'll need:

• 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 tablespoons water

Instructions:

1. Juice the lemon.
2. Combine the lemon juice, salt, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
3. Add your silver jewelry to the mixture and stir gently.
4. Reduce the heat to low and continue stirring until the silver reaches your desired level of shine.

Cleaning Silver with Rice Water

This often discarded liquid from cooking rice can actually help remove tarnish and restore your silver's shine

What you'll need:

• Concentrated rice water (the water left over from rinsing or boiling rice, make sure it's thick and cloudy)
• Mild soap

Instructions:

1. Bring the concentrated rice water to a gentle boil over low heat.
2. Add your silver jewelry to the rice water and stir gently.
3. Continue stirring for 5-10 minutes, or until the silver reaches your desired level of shine.
4. Remove the jewelry and wash it with mild soap.
5. Dry the silver completely with a soft cloth.

Cleaning Silver with Fermented Rice Water

What you'll need:

• 1 cup fermented rice water (the water left over from rinsing or boiling rice, allowed to ferment for a few days)
• Mild soap

Instructions:

1. Bring the fermented rice water to a gentle boil over low heat.
2. Add your silver jewelry to the fermented rice water and stir gently.
3. Continue stirring for 10-20 minutes, or until the silver reaches your desired level of shine.
4. Remove the jewelry and wash it with mild soap.
5. Dry the silver completely with a soft cloth.

Here's a short video with some extra tips and tricks. We hope you find it helpful!