Clean Metals Naturally

So you’ve decluttered the house and found grandmom’s silver or cleaned out the old jewelry box, and now, you have dull metal that has lost its luster. Is it time to part ways with that old jewelry or vintage silver platter?

It doesn’t have to be that way. The fact is that as long as the metal isn’t pitted or rusted, it can easily come back to life, even if you aren’t a pro master of metal. Taking signature pieces to a professional is ideal, but it might not be easy to get to Cartier for polishing your jewelry twice a year.

Silver’s Gone

Silver is one of the most challenging metals to keep beautiful and shiny since oxygen plays a huge role in tarnishing its luster.

As silver starts to dull, it will turn into a rose color that will eventually have a hue of black or green. It’s bizarre how it loses that shine in the process, even if the tarnish still has a unique beauty of its own.

Polish Silver

Silver polish is the easiest way to chemically remove the unwanted tarnish. Usually, a distinct smelling white paste is slathered on the silver and after a minute or so, you can wipe away the tarnish.

But is there a natural way to remove tarnish without the smelly mess?

Yes. And it’s by using science.

Soak the Silver

A natural way to get silver back to its glory and shine is with a soak in water with foil, baking soda and salt.

First, lay pieces of foil into a bowl or basin of water. Add in two tablespoons of salt. Add two tablespoons of baking soda. Put silver into the mixture and let sit for up to 5 minutes.

Remove the silver and wipe to shine.

Bring Back Brass

Brass can dull over time causing the beautiful metal to look dirty. There are polishes on the market that are specifically made for brass. However, there is a great natural way to bring brass back to life.

Pass the Ketchup

Using ketchup on brass is an easy way to revitalize the metal and remove the dinge.

Put ketchup directly on the metal and let it sit for 10 minutes. Once the time is up, wipe away ketchup with a wet cloth. The smell and dirt will wipe away instantly.

Be sure to place paper or towels under the metal, so the ketchup doesn’t stain any surfaces.

Stay Gold

Gold rarely loses shine on pieces that are regularly taken care of. However, once in a while vintage pieces need some extra TLC.

Gold is a soft metal that needs to be treated gently. Toothpaste can really bring back a shine, but some can be way too abrasive. So, if using toothpaste, do not let it sit on the metal because it can break it down quickly.

Instead, try a mix of dish soap, baking soda and water. Let the gold sit for a minute or two. A soft toothbrush can assist you in tricky dirt spots, but in most cases, all you’ll need to do is rinse and wipe to bring back the shine.

Conclusion

Keeping your metals looking new can be simple using these household items. Taking care of metals can reduce the elbow grease needed to bring back the luster. Treating metals should only need to be done about twice a year to keep things looking new.

If metal is scratched or damaged, taking it to a jeweler is the best way to go.

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram