Slightly random post I guess BUT I was just so impressed with this I had to share! Lately I’ve been exploring non chemical cleaners. You know, using stuff like lemon juice, vinegar, soda crystals and bicarbonate of soda. Yawn, I know, right? Well that used to be my view too but I am an absolute convert. I don’t think I shall ever buy another bottle of Flash again! Apart from having the shiniest taps I have ever had, and not a hint of smears on my mirrors or windows, it’s costing me less, and I don’t have to worry about Elliott inadvertently absorbing chemicals in some way. The real Superhero of this show though, has to be Bicarbonate of Soda.
This silver jewelry, has been languishing in my trinket box gathering tarnish for over 2 years. The purple pendant is from India and was more like a gunmetal black than silver. The locket is a Victorian piece, but the intricacy of the rope twist edging has meant it has never been truly tarnish free since the day I received it. (A gift from J to mark the birth of our little man). So I thought I’d give the bicarbonate a go, and it went from this…
To this!!! I mean the difference is astounding. This stuff is sooo shiny that I couldn’t photograph them directly from above because you could see the reflection of my camera in the photo. I kid you not. So in the interest of sharing “Eureka” moments here’s what I did…
Lay the silver pieces in a shallow dish lined with aluminium foil….
Cover liberally with bicarbonate of soda….
Pour on boiling water (carefully!) and watch that gentle chemical reaction fizz and work it’s magic….
Just look at over 100 years of “stuff” lifting out from the rope twist of my locket (ok, gross but all the same, wow!)…
There are hallmarks on this piece that I never even knew were there, this was so black before…
To remove all that heavy tarnish, it took 3 “washes” with the bicarbonate/aluminium method. With no other effort other than a gentle scrub with a soft toothbrush around the edges of my locket, then a thorough rinse, and a polish with a microfibre cloth.
Can’t beat a bit of chemistry on a rainy Sunday afternoon! (oh, but open a window as the resulting whiff can be a bit eggy, and nobody likes an eggy smelling house, right?!)
NB Emma commented “I would be very careful using this method on jewelry pieces with stones. You can crack or shatter them with the boiling water. Toothpaste (not gel) can also be brushed on to remove tarnish!”
The stone in my pendant is a natural Agate and was fine, but if you’re unsure, try the toothpaste! Thanks for the tip Emma 🙂