Cleaning sterling silver with baking soda trick

[safetyfast]

I've heard that one of the least harmful methods of cleaning sterling is to place the silver in a pan lined with aluminum foil and a mixture of warm water and baking soda. I would like to try this on a "51" sterling cap, but will it cause any harm to the gold plated clip?

[ZeissIkon]

I've heard that one of the least harmful methods of cleaning sterling is to place the silver in a pan lined with aluminum foil and a mixture of warm water and baking soda. I would like to try this on a "51" sterling cap, but will it cause any harm to the gold plated clip?

 

I've always heard it was washing soda (which is a little more alkaline than baking soda), but either one will likely work -- and no, it won't hurt gold, though if there are breaks in the plating it's possible zinc might be drawn out of the brass beneath the plating. Once the alkaline solution breaks down the oxide layer on the aluminum, nothing in the bath is likely to be more reactive than the exposed aluminum, so everything else is protected.

[safetyfast]

Well, I gave it a try and it worked pretty well on the tarnish. I didn't leave it in long, but it did wash off the blue diamond paint, so I guess I'll be retouching that.

[Dace]

This is what I do.

 

I get a glass baking pan of some sort and line it with aluminum foil shiny side up. I put a number of large spoonfuls of baking soda in the pan and place the piece I am cleaning into the pan. Do no skimp on the baking soda. I then pour boiling water over it and let it sit for a few minutes or until I can see the tarnish coming off. I pull it out and polish it with a cotton rag.

 

When we were at Tiffanys yesterday the gentelman actually suggested this same method over paying them $30 to clean up some of my wife's jewelery.

 

Here is my Gorham silver squirel from my childhood that I just cleaned up today.

Before pictures, as you can see it was nearly black:

 

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n262/poohbigb/DSC00073.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n262/poohbigb/DSC00070.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n262/poohbigb/DSC00066.jpg

 

After pictures. I haven't worked real hard at getting all the tarnish out of the nooks and cranny with a brush or wheel:

 

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n262/poohbigb/DSC00079.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n262/poohbigb/DSC00080.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n262/poohbigb/DSC00081.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n262/poohbigb/DSC00075.jpg

Edited April 3, 2010 by Dace

[eckiethump]

The black tarnish is I believe, silver sulphide or sulphate? caused by oxidisation, which is more attracted to the aluminium foil, under these conditions. My mother used to keep old aluminium milk bottle tops in a jar for the Sunday cutlery, in my dim and distant youth, for this purpose. At times the old ways, can be the best ways, for care of items.

Eric

 

Eric

Edited April 3, 2010 by eckiethump

[safetyfast]

Yes, it works well on silver, just beware that it will take your blue diamond. I was surprised it removed the enamel, and it did it within a couple of minutes.

[Gedion]

There is a comercial product "Hagerty flatware Silver Dip" Its a tall dark blue clindrical container with a basket inside. You place the silver in the basket and dunk for 10 seconds then rinse. It works like a dream especially on something with a lot of nooks. The active ingredient is Acidified Thiourea and detergent. Methinks for silver only. I'm not sure what it will do to other metals.

[SincerelySpicy]

Using the baking soda/hotwater/aluminum foil trick for cleaning silver is not a good idea. Although gets rid of light tarnish very quickly, it leaves microscopic pores and pits on the surface making the silver more even prone to tarnishing in the future. The best way to clean silver is the good old fashioned polish and soft cloth.

 

 

For more information:

Society of American Silversmiths

[Dace]

Using the baking soda/hotwater/aluminum foil trick for cleaning silver is not a good idea. Although gets rid of light tarnish very quickly, it leaves microscopic pores and pits on the surface making the silver more even prone to tarnishing in the future. The best way to clean silver is the good old fashioned polish and soft cloth.

 

 

For more information:

Society of American Silversmiths

 

Interesting. I had never heard that it is harmuful. It's interesting that Tiffany and so many jewelry shops actually recomend this method.

[ZeissIkon]

jewelry shops actually recomend this method.

 

Hmm. People who make money when you replace your silver, have it replated, etc., recommend a cleaning process that can damage the metal? How could that happen? [/sarcasm]

[Dace]

jewelry shops actually recomend this method.

 

Hmm. People who make money when you replace your silver, have it replated, etc., recommend a cleaning process that can damage the metal? How could that happen? [/sarcasm]

 

You'll have to forgive me. I have done a significant amount of searching through reference material and have not once come across a warning that using baking soda to clean silver actually corrodes it.

 

Does anyone have proof of this?

[Lloyd]

Don't you think the link is a reliable source?

[kirchh]

jewelry shops actually recomend this method.

 

Hmm. People who make money when you replace your silver, have it replated, etc., recommend a cleaning process that can damage the metal? How could that happen? [/sarcasm]

 

You'll have to forgive me. I have done a significant amount of searching through reference material and have not once come across a warning that using baking soda to clean silver actually corrodes it.

 

Does anyone have proof of this?

It would surprise me if you had done "a significant amount of searching" on this topic, as a simple Google search turns up multiple instances of this very warning.

 

--Daniel

[Ray-Vigo]

I stay away from the baking soda "trick" with silver. I've tried it and it a. failed to clean the silver very well and b. actually seemed to encourage long-term tarnishing. I won't be trying it again.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Ray-Vigo

[Dace]

jewelry shops actually recomend this method.

 

Hmm. People who make money when you replace your silver, have it replated, etc., recommend a cleaning process that can damage the metal? How could that happen? [/sarcasm]

 

You'll have to forgive me. I have done a significant amount of searching through reference material and have not once come across a warning that using baking soda to clean silver actually corrodes it.

 

Does anyone have proof of this?

It would surprise me if you had done "a significant amount of searching" on this topic, as a simple Google search turns up multiple instances of this very warning.

 

--Daniel

 

Hi Dan,

 

I tried googling different phrases with combinations of silver, warnig, problem, baking soda etc and could only find lists of how to clean with baking soda.

 

I have no problem being shown information that will better my knowledge, however there is no need to call me a liar. Care to point me to these multiple instances then?

 

Obvioulsy if what I have done detrimentatlly damages my items I want to know. But I am not one to jump off a cliff because all the other lemmings tell me to do so.

 

The silversmith article doesnt flat out say using the baking soda technique is bad, it says using an unclean or old alumnium tray is bad. SIlver has been around a lot longer then any chemcial recomended here. I wonder how they used to keep silver clean?

 

Either way, my own grandmother in Germany uses this technique and has since the 20s. Her silver still looks amazing. She does use a cloth to keep it nice looking in between baths as long as the tarnish hasnt gotten bad. Using the backing soda and aluminum, technique is definately safer for you and the environment (and the pocket book) then any other technique.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Dace

[kirchh]

jewelry shops actually recomend this method.

 

Hmm. People who make money when you replace your silver, have it replated, etc., recommend a cleaning process that can damage the metal? How could that happen? [/sarcasm]

 

You'll have to forgive me. I have done a significant amount of searching through reference material and have not once come across a warning that using baking soda to clean silver actually corrodes it.

 

Does anyone have proof of this?

It would surprise me if you had done "a significant amount of searching" on this topic, as a simple Google search turns up multiple instances of this very warning.

 

--Daniel

Hi Dan,

 

I tried googling different phrases with combinations of silver, warnig, problem, bakinga soda etc and could only find list of how to clean with baking soda.

 

I have no problem being shown information that will better my knowledge, however there is no need to call me a liar. Care ot point me to these multiple instances then?

Try "aluminum baking soda silver pitting". You'll get, on the first page or two,

 

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Silver

 

"The aluminum-foil method sounds mild and harmless but can result in pitting"

 

http://vener-art.com/beadblog/index.php/updates-on-silver/

 

"this method should not be used very often as it can cause pitting in the surface of the silver."

 

http://www.americanbridal.com/carforyoursi.html

 

"The "washing recipe" that calls for a mixture of salt, baking soda and water in an aluminum pan is harmful to silver! Stay away from this method."

 

http://www.marthastewart.com/goodthings/diy-silver-polish

 

"It's important to note that with this technique, the good tarnish (a desirable patina and the dark crevices in a pattern) may be removed as well, and pitting may result."

 

--Daniel

[Dace]

jewelry shops actually recomend this method.

 

Hmm. People who make money when you replace your silver, have it replated, etc., recommend a cleaning process that can damage the metal? How could that happen? [/sarcasm]

 

You'll have to forgive me. I have done a significant amount of searching through reference material and have not once come across a warning that using baking soda to clean silver actually corrodes it.

 

Does anyone have proof of this?

It would surprise me if you had done "a significant amount of searching" on this topic, as a simple Google search turns up multiple instances of this very warning.

 

--Daniel

Hi Dan,

 

I tried googling different phrases with combinations of silver, warnig, problem, bakinga soda etc and could only find list of how to clean with baking soda.

 

I have no problem being shown information that will better my knowledge, however there is no need to call me a liar. Care ot point me to these multiple instances then?

Try "aluminum baking soda silver pitting". You'll get, on the first page or two,

 

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Silver

 

"The aluminum-foil method sounds mild and harmless but can result in pitting"

 

http://vener-art.com/beadblog/index.php/updates-on-silver/

 

"this method should not be used very often as it can cause pitting in the surface of the silver."

 

http://www.americanbridal.com/carforyoursi.html

 

"The "washing recipe" that calls for a mixture of salt, baking soda and water in an aluminum pan is harmful to silver! Stay away from this method."

 

http://www.marthastewart.com/goodthings/diy-silver-polish

 

"It's important to note that with this technique, the good tarnish (a desirable patina and the dark crevices in a pattern) may be removed as well, and pitting may result."

 

--Daniel

 

Looks like a subjective matter and context plays a huge part, but thanks for posting those.

[SincerelySpicy]

You'll have to forgive me. I have done a significant amount of searching through reference material and have not once come across a warning that using baking soda to clean silver actually corrodes it.

 

Does anyone have proof of this?

 

Pardon, but I had posted proof from a reliable source, the Society of American Silversmiths. The link that I had provided was also anchored to the section of the article that mentioned it. I will post it again here in case it was missed in my first post.

 

Society of American Silversmiths

[Dace]

You'll have to forgive me. I have done a significant amount of searching through reference material and have not once come across a warning that using baking soda to clean silver actually corrodes it.

 

Does anyone have proof of this?

 

Pardon, but I had posted proof from a reliable source, the Society of American Silversmiths. The link that I had provided was also anchored to the section of the article that mentioned it. I will post it again here in case it was missed in my first post.

 

Society of American Silversmiths

 

Hi,

 

I did see the link after someone else pointed it out. It's an interesting read even if it has a few discrepancies in it. I am going to look into this further, thanks for all the links.

[Dace]

I have been trained and honed to always have professional skepticism through my profession as an auditor. And it translates into my everyday life as well. Professional skepticism in layman’s terms is “never think your client is lying, just make them prove they are telling the truth.” I find being on message boards sometimes hard because people simply give a statement with zero support.

 

I actually did more searching last night and came up with a number of findings regarding the use of the baking soda method as preferable to any other method. From what I can find, tarnish is actually silver sulfide that forms on the surface of silver. The baking soda method is a process that results in the reversing of the creation of the silver sulfide and turning the silver back into it’s pure state. In an article written for the Journal of Chemistry it states “The tarnish on silver can be removed with commercial silver polishes. This method usually removes the tarnish through abrasion. As a result, each time tarnish is removed, some of the silver is lost. However, tarnish can also be removed chemically through the reaction of aluminum with the tarnish. The aluminum is a more active metal than silver, so it reacts with the tarnish to chemically convert the tarnish back to silver.” From what I have found, polishing simply removes the tarnish layer completely thereby removing part of the silver. The baking soda method turns the tarnish back into silver and leaves it on the surface of the item being cleaned which results in the “pitting” or roughness some people soemtimes see. It’s because the tarnish has been converted and re-deposited onto the silver object. The Conservation Research Laboratory also recommends using the electrolyte cleaning of silver to preserve it. It also states that electrolyte cleaning (which the baking soda method is), is the most common method used to conserve silver artifacts.

 

It seems there is a lot of information out there and none of it agrees. They all agree on how the processes work then seem to havw differing opinions about what is the best or worst method.