As a passionate lover of vintage metals, I can’t resist finding beautiful secondhand silver items, whether they’re candlesticks, trays, or other tabletop treasures. Every time I share silver or silver-plated thrifted finds on my social media, I receive a ton of questions about how to clean silver.

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While I love the patina that develops over time on old silver, with its unique worn, gray finish from oxidation, sometimes it’s nice to restore that sparkly brightness with a freshly polished piece. Let’s explore the best techniques for cleaning and polishing silver!

Baking Soda and Aluminum Foil – A Simple Silver Cleaning Solution
If you’re wondering how to clean silver without too much effort, this method is one of my personal favorites. You’ll need:
Baking soda
A pan or sink lined with aluminum foil
Boiling water

Submerge your silver pieces in the hot water, ensuring they’re touching the foil. The chemical reaction between the aluminum foil, baking soda, and tarnished silver works wonders in removing tarnish. I’m not exactly sure how it happens, but it’s magical!
This method worked wonders for me on a large silver platter. While it didn’t remove all the tarnish, it significantly improved the shine without any heavy scrubbing. Just be sure to use tongs to remove the pieces after they’ve soaked for a few minutes, and finish with a dry, clean towel.

Baking Soda and Vinegar – An Effective but Gentle Cleaner
Another tried-and-true solution for cleaning silver is combining baking soda with vinegar. Mix a small amount of white vinegar with baking soda to create a paste. Then, apply it gently to the silver using a soft cloth. Rinse and let it dry.

I tried this on my Italian silver champagne bucket, but the results were less impressive than I expected. It barely affected the tarnish. After about 5 minutes, I gave up on it and went for a more reliable method.
Commercial Silver Cleaner – A Reliable Option
When I’m dealing with heavily tarnished silver, I turn to a commercial silver cleaner. Though it’s a chemical-based solution, it works incredibly well to remove tarnish and restore the shine. While it does require a little elbow grease, it’s a dependable way to clean silver, especially for more stubborn tarnish.

The Best Method to Clean Silver
If I had to pick the best way to clean silver, it would definitely be the aluminum foil and boiling water method. It’s efficient, quick, and leaves the silver looking shiny with minimal effort. However, if you have a larger item like my champagne bucket, you might need a lot of boiling water to submerge the piece.

As a close second, I’d say that commercial silver polish does the trick, though it requires more scrubbing and effort.


Looking for More Cleaning Tips?
Don’t miss out on other helpful tips for cleaning thrifted decor! Be sure to check out my Top 5 Products for Cleaning Thrifted Decor, where I share some of the best cleaning tools for your vintage finds.
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xoxo, L