This article was co-authored by Edward Lewand. Edward Lewand is a Graduate Gemologist & Accredited Appraiser with over 36 years of experience in the jewelry industry. He completed his residency in graduate gemology at the G.I.A. in 1979, New York and now specializes in Fine, Antique and Estate Jewelry, consultations and expert witness work. He is a Certified Appraiser of the Appraiser Association of America (AAA) and an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) of the American Society of Appraisers In Gems and Jewelry.
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Silver jewelry is one of the most beautiful and versatile in a collection. However, it can oxidize, tarnish and get dirty quite easily. Once dirty, it can easily be forgotten at the bottom of a jewelry box. If you are looking for a simple solution to cleaning your silver jewelry, vinegar is a great way to go. There are a number of vinegar-based cleaning solutions that will bring the sparkle back to your silver jewelry.[1]
Steps
Soaking Jewelry in Vinegar
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1Immerse your jewelry in white vinegar. Place your jewelry in a clean mason jar or another suitable container. Cover it with white vinegar, so that it is completely immersed. You can let it sit for two or three hours, depending on how much tarnish you need to remove. Then, rinse and dry the jewelry.[2]
- If the piece is only moderately dirty, it should be pretty clean after fifteen minutes.[3]
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2Add baking soda for a deeper clean. Add a half cup of vinegar to a clean container. Then, add two tablespoons of baking soda. Place your jewelry in the solution and let it sit for two or three hours. Finally, rinse the jewlery under the sink, taking care not to let it fall into the drain, and dry it with a clean cloth.
- If you are using the kitchen sink, it is a good idea to leave the sink strainer in place.
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3Use vinegar, tea tree oil and baking soda. Find a suitable glass mason jar in your kitchen. Place your jewelry in the bottom. Cover the jewelry with half a cup of white vinegar and one drop of tea tree oil. Leave the jewelry to soak in the mixture overnight, or for eight hours while you are at work.[4]
- If you see debris floating around in the solution, you know it is working.
- If your kitchen sink has a high pressure washer, you should use it. However, remember to leave the sink strainer in place and don’t let go of your jewelry.
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4Scrub the jewlery with baking soda. Coat the jewlery with baking soda. Using an old toothbrush, scrub the jewlery until it regains its sparkle. Finally, rinse and dry your jewelry.[5]
- Using baking soda at the end with a toothbrush will allow you to get into the cracks and other tough to reach spots.
Getting Rid of Heavy Tarnish
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1Line a shallow pan with aluminum foil. The aluminum foil should be face up in the pan. You can use any oven safe kitchen pan that will hold your jewelry. Once you have the pan lined, distribute your jewelry across the surface so that each piece of jewelry is making contact with the aluminum foil.[6]
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2Add boiling water, baking soda and salt to the pan. In a medium bowl, mix together a cup of boiling water, a tablespoon of baking soda and a tablespoon of salt. Add the mixture to the pan with the jewelry.
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3Add the vinegar to the pan. Pour half a cup of vinegar into the pan. You should see it bubble.
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4Let your jewelry sit. Leave your jewelry in the pan for ten minutes. If you like, you can stir the jewelry around every few minutes, making sure each piece is touching the bottom of the pan.
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5Rinse your jewelry. Use the pressure washer in your sink to completely rinse your jewelry. Be careful not to let it fall into the garbage dispenser. Then, dry your jewelry with a clean towel and store it in a safe place.[7]
Using Pickles to Remove Tarnish
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1Use distilled water in your vinegar pickle. Pickling is a process that removes oxidation and residues from jewelry, such as after soldering or in order to clean a heavily tarnished piece. Start by obtaining some distilled water, since minerals in tap water may react with the acid in the vinegar.
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2Gather the equipment. You will need a safety mask, such as a particulate mask, as well as safety gloves. In addition, you will need a pot or crock pot that you don’t need for cooking, since it is not a good idea to use this pot for cooking afterwards.
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3Mix a non-toxic, vinegar pickle. A great pickle (cleaning solution) can be made with distilled white vinegar, salt and distilled water. For every cup of distilled water, add one teaspoon of salt. Remember to add the vinegar to the water, rather than vice versa.
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4Heat up the pickle. Warm up the pickle to just before boiling. Add the jewelry to the pickle and let it soak until you see signs of improvement.
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5Rinse and dry the jewelry. Use a pair of tongues to remove the jewelry from the pot. Then, rinse it thoroughly. Dry it with a clean cloth.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionWill vinegar damage stainless silver?
Edward LewandEdward Lewand is a Graduate Gemologist & Accredited Appraiser with over 36 years of experience in the jewelry industry. He completed his residency in graduate gemology at the G.I.A. in 1979, New York and now specializes in Fine, Antique and Estate Jewelry, consultations and expert witness work. He is a Certified Appraiser of the Appraiser Association of America (AAA) and an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) of the American Society of Appraisers In Gems and Jewelry.
Graduate Gemologist & Accredited AppraiserIt's a good question, but I don't think you'll run into any problems with this. Stainless steel is pretty tough, so I can't imagine that vinegar will damage it at all.
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QuestionWhat can I use to clean silver instead of vinegar?Edward LewandEdward Lewand is a Graduate Gemologist & Accredited Appraiser with over 36 years of experience in the jewelry industry. He completed his residency in graduate gemology at the G.I.A. in 1979, New York and now specializes in Fine, Antique and Estate Jewelry, consultations and expert witness work. He is a Certified Appraiser of the Appraiser Association of America (AAA) and an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) of the American Society of Appraisers In Gems and Jewelry.
Graduate Gemologist & Accredited AppraiserI'm a big fan of mild dish soap and water. That should clean most jewelry without causing any issues.Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
Things You’ll Need
- Distilled white vinegar
- Baking soda
- Baking pan
- Pot or crock pot
- Tea tree oil
- Safety mask
- Gloves
- Clean towels
- Old toothbrush
- Aluminum foil
References
- ↑ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/home-garden/How-to-clean-your-silver-jewellery/articleshow/52488255.cms
- ↑ http://www.jewelrykind.com/how-to-clean-silver-jewelry/
- ↑ http://www.simplehouseholdtips.com/7-great-ways-to-clean-jewellery-at-home.html
- ↑ https://www.diynatural.com/homemade-jewelry-cleaner/
- ↑ https://www.diynatural.com/homemade-jewelry-cleaner/
- ↑ http://www.prettygossip.com/2013/01/24/diy-homemade-jewelry-cleaner-no-scrubbing/
- ↑ http://www.prettygossip.com/2013/01/24/diy-homemade-jewelry-cleaner-no-scrubbing/
About This Article
To clean your silver jewelry, soak it in vinegar for a few hours. First, place your jewelry in a small bowl or jar and cover it with vinegar. You can also add a couple of tablespoons of baking soda for a deeper clean. Leave your silver pieces to soak for 2-3 hours. Then, rinse and dry it. If your jewelry is heavily tarnished, use boiling water and vinegar. First, line a shallow pan with aluminum foil and place your jewelry on top. Add a cup of boiling water, a tablespoon of baking soda, and a tablespoon of salt. Then, pour half a cup of vinegar into the mixture, which will make it bubble. Leave your jewelry for 10 minutes before you rinse and dry it. For more tips, including how clean your silver jewelry with vinegar pickle, read on!
