How to clean silver (5 tricks that work)

Learning how to clean silver without harsh chemicals is always good, right? Whether it’s fine china, or just your regular old cutlery, you’ve probably got some silver dishes laying around. If you’ve caught yourself wondering “how do I wash this without ruining it?” you’re in the right place. I’ll tell you how to clean silver, quick, easy, and efficiently. We’re going to be using things that you can easily find already laying around your house! Let’s get into it and get that silver shining like new!

How to clean silver

Ketchup

I know, it sounds weird. But you have to try this if you want to clean up your silver. Especially if your silver has become tarnished. Squirt some ketchup on a paper towel and just rub it on the plate, paying special attention to tarnished areas. If you don’t notice that it’s starting to shine like new, let the ketchup sit on your silver for about 15 minutes before cleaning it off with water. If you’re trying this method on ornate pieces of cutlery with crevices, grab an old toothbrush to work it in there.

Corn Starch

This one is fairly simple. Make a paste of corn starch and water then apply it with a damp cloth. Let the paste dry and wipe it off with a scratchy towel or something of the same abrasiveness. I’ve found a paste of baking soda will also help just as well.

Hand Sanitizer

It’s good enough for making your hands squeaky clean, why not silver too? Hand sanitizer will take the tarnish off of even the oldest silver you have. Just grab a soft cloth, squirt a few drops of sanitizer on it and go to town! Rub away the tarnish, and rinse with warm water.

Toothpaste

Do you still have the toothbrush from the ketchup tip? Grab it and drop a normal amount of toothpaste onto it and scrub the cutlery. You can also use a rag or paper towel for bigger pieces. Your silver will shine like never before.

Hair Conditioner

What? Hair conditioner? You’re kidding, right? No, I’m not! I’ve been using this trick for years! To prevent tarnish rub conditioner on a nice clean piece of silver. Be sure to rinse off any extra so your next meal doesn’t taste like Ocean Breeze!

If you like to use silver cutlery and dishes as much as I do, you should definitely enjoy these tips I have for you. Some of them are a little bit unconventional, but I’ve used them and they really do work. Give them a shot and you’ll be surprised. Do you have any tips on how to clean silver? I’d be happy to swap some ideas down in the comments!