How To Clean Your Sterling Silver Jewelry

I’ve been asked by several people on how to clean their sterling silver jewelry so I decided to post a tutorial. With pictures! In case you are also wondering how to clean your sterling silver, check out my really quick and easy instructions below.

This old folks’ tip that has been around for quite a while. My great-grandmother has been using this little trick for ages and so have my grandmother, mother and aunts who love jewelry, especially sterling silver.

All you need are five things:

1) Boiling hot water

2) Baking soda

3) Aluminum tray

4) Cloth

5) Toothbrush (optional for brushing jewelry)

Here are the 10 fun and easy steps:

Step 1: Boil a cup of water.

Step 2: Find an aluminum tray. (I found my aluminum tray stored in my oven)

Step 3: Lay out your sterling silver jewelry on aluminum tray.


Step 4: Pour baking soda over your jewelry. (I like to cover my jewelry with the baking soda, although that is not necessary. You can just put some on or around the jewelry and it’ll work just as well)

Step 5: Pour hot water (make sure it’s boiling hot!) over the jewelry and baking soda and pour enough so that the water rises above the jewelry. (There will be a slight sulfur-smell and steam will rise. Do not breathe in the steam because the aluminum, baking soda and hot water create a chemical. You don’t want toxins in your body!)

Step 6: The reaction is quite quick but I usually wait 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 7: Have fun watching the oxidation disappear.

Step 8: Your jewelry will feel a bit slimy because of the baking soda so you’ll have to rinse it in cool water and make sure all the baking soda residue or ‘slime’ is washed away. (You may use the toothbrush to brush your jewelry)

Step 9: Pat your jewelry dry with a cloth.

Step 10: Enjoy the brand new shine!