How to Clean Tarnished Silver

by Ludvic

9.2K1537

Intro: How to Clean Tarnished Silver

Hi Guys!
With this instructables you can Learn easily method to clean your Silver from Tarnish (Silver sulfide)
If you see the video you might think "Wow It's magic" i reply : "No it's Science!"

Yes, because This phenomenon is called: "Redox Reaction" in a nutshell: The sulfide on the silver, shift on the aluminum, there is displacement to one metal to another

Ok Start with this instructables!

STEP 1: Components

You Need 4 things:

  • Aluminum Pan
  • Table Salt (NaCl)
  • Baking Soda (NaHCO3)
  • Your Tarnish Silver obviously!

(If you don't have The Aluminum Pan You can use only Aluminum Foil and you can wrapped on a Bowl)

STEP 2: Hot Water

Mixed the Table salt and the baking soda in the aluminum pan, after put Your Water on the stove and let it boil.

Now you can add your hot water in the aluminum pan

Mixed another time with a spoon

STEP 3: The Reaction

Now you only set your Tarnished Silver in the solution and waiting for 2 or 3 minute

The reaction is:

3 Ag2S + 2 Al 6 Ag + Al2S3
silver sulfide + aluminum ---> silver + aluminum sulfide

STEP 4: Clean Very Well

After You remove From the solution you can see all tarnish disappears!

Remember to clean from water really fast your object, because water+oxygen= oxidation

Thank you for your Attention if you want to clean Copper i made another instructables for this

Check it here: ►

Follow me for other awesome project and let me what do you think in comment!

Ludvic

6 Comments

WallyKent 6 years ago

Hi there,
Can sterling silver ever rust or is it always tarnish?
I have found some nice earrings but it looks like they are rusty, not too sure whether I should put them in or not :/
Thanks!!

darburke 8 years ago

what are the mixture ratios? Salt, baking soda per how much water?

Ludvic 8 years ago

It's not really problem the ratios, I used 1or 2 table spoon of baking soda in 300ml of water :)