Scale this recipe as needed. For example, if you have a larger piece of silverware, you may want to use 3 cups of water, in which case you should add 3 teaspoons each of baking soda and salt. You can also add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the mixture for each cup of water. This will speed up the cleaning time. Add the vinegar last, and be careful pouring it, as you will notice a reaction with the other ingredients.
Make sure the pan is big enough to hold all of the silverware you want to clean. If you don’t have a big enough pan, you can clean your silverware in several batches. This process will cause the tarnish to leave the silver and stick to the aluminum in the foil. To avoid tarnishing your pan, you may want to avoid using an aluminum one.
Avoid placing any silverware that has other materials (including other metals or stones) in this solution unless you have confirmed that this is a safe cleaning methods for those materials as well. Do not place antique silver knives in this solution, as many are held together with glue, and the solution may dissolve the glue. [4] X Research source
The water will still be hot, so it’s a good idea to use tongs to remove the silverware from the pan. Dry thoroughly to prevent water spots from forming on your silverware.
You may want to put your silverware in a baking dish when you do this to avoid getting powder all over your counters.
You should not have to scrub vigorously, as the dirt and stains should already be loosened. A light touch will do the trick.
If you use baking soda, combine three parts baking soda and one part water to create a paste. You want a consistency that is similar to that of toothpaste. If it is too thin, add more baking soda. If it is too dry, add more water.
You may have to rub a bit vigorously, especially if your silver is very tarnished. If this method does not seem to be working, try allowing the paste to sit on the silverware for several minutes before you begin scrubbing again.
Be sure to get all of the residue off. Failing to rinse your silverware thoroughly will leave it dull looking. Drying thoroughly helps prevent unsightly water spots from forming on your silverware.
For severe tarnishing, try one of the baking soda methods instead. If you store silverware properly and wash carefully, however, you will be typically able to keep silver from tarnishing so that other cleaning methods won’t be necessary. You may want to use this method after one of the other methods if you find that your silverware still has some mineral deposits.
To avoid wasting water and rubbing alcohol, start with a very small amount. You should not need to use a lot of solution to clean your silverware.
You should not have to apply much pressure, as you will only be removing surface deposits with the rubbing alcohol.
