Homemade jewelry cleaner for silver is easy to make. All you need is hydrogen peroxide, a cotton ball and a bowl to spray or rub into the metal using an old toothbrush or cotton swab. Be sure to allow ample air flow into the solution, as it will react with other ingredients if not added directly to the container. You can use apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, white vinegar, salt, or any other type of liquid, but be sure it’s plain water.
After applying the homemade silver cleaner, soak the item in warm soapy water for a half an hour. Then, wash it with cold water and don’t wring. Vinegar is excellent for cleaning silver items, as well as many other items made from glass. For a homemade jewelry cleaning solution, combine one tablespoon of ammonia, one tablespoon of baking soda, and two or three drops of liquid dish detergent. You can also mix one tablespoon of salt and one teaspoon of liquid soap. This makes a great cleaning paste for kitchen items.
If you have a hard to reach area, like the bottom of a pewter container, gently pull on it until you loosen the tarnish, then gently polish it free. If you want to clean the smallest rings and buttons, apply one or two of the easy steps, then follow the rest of the directions on the back of the bottle. Repeat these steps until your jewelry looks just as good as it did the first day.
For gold, silver and brass jewelry, coat them with the liquid dish detergent, and add two or three drops of vinegar to the mixture. Leave it on overnight, then wash it out the next morning with warm water. Do not rinse. The vinegar will react with anything you put in the water, so no mild detergent is recommended. Repeat the vinegar step twice.
For copper, brass and aluminum foil, use your bowl or jewelry bowl. Dip it into the bowl of hot soapy water and place a few sheets of aluminum foil in the middle of the bowl. Cover the entire surface with your baking soda and let it sit overnight. Wash the baking soda off the next morning and your foil, silver, or gold jewelry is ready to go!
If you have precious or semi-precious metals in your collection, be sure to store them in the proper container. Use a jewelry cleaner designed for silver, gold, or silver plated items. A favorite jewelry cleaner for metals is lemon juice. Place a piece of cotton inside the lemon and wring to remove the excess. Store your jewelry in its special storage container.
You might use ammonia and water for cleaning sterling silver and gold. Mix together equal parts ammonia and water and soak the pieces you are cleaning. Wipe the cloth damp before wiping away the excess liquid. If you have a preference between an abrasive or a gentle cleaning cloth, that is perfectly acceptable.
If you have silver, gold, or acrylic jewelry that you want to clean, you can mix equal parts white vinegar and water. Spray some white vinegar onto the tarnished areas and wipe off with a cloth. If the tarnish cannot be cleaned with this mixture, simply rinse the area with warm water and soap. You can also add a small amount of ammonia to the water and use toothpaste to scrub away any stubborn stains.
For those who enjoy making do-it-yourself projects at home, you can also make a solution out of soda and hydrogen peroxide. This homemade jewelry cleaner for silver and gold consists of equal parts of water and soda. Use a soft toothbrush and gently rub the mixture onto the tarnished areas of your jewelry.
If you have white gold or silver jewelry that has tarnished, you can make a solution out of cornstarch and water. Mix together equal parts cornstarch and warm water and apply this mixture onto your tarnished areas. Use a soft brush to gently rub the mixture into the tarnished areas of your gold or silver jewelry. Once you have thoroughly wetted and brushed the mixture, allow it to dry for several hours then carefully buff the jewelry with a soft cloth.
Homemade jewelry cleaners can be found by searching the Internet. There are many sites that offer homemade cleaning solutions. These are very easy to make and the ingredients can be found in most of your household. Before using any homemade cleaner, make sure that it is safe for you to use and follow the directions carefully.