If you’ve owned a piece of jewelry for a while, you know that they tend to get tarnished, and cleaning the tarnish can be a real hassle, as well as really expensive. Did you know, however, that there's a quick, free way to clean your jewels at home, with very little effort, if any? By combining a few common household items and very little elbow grease, your jewelry collection will sparkle like new.
What you’ll need:
• Aluminum Foil
• 1 tablespoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of dish detergent
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• A bowl
• An old toothbrush
Instructions:
1. Line a bowl with aluminum foil, shiny side up. The aluminum foil serves to create a mild electrochemical reaction, which helps to clean the tarnish off of silver.
2. In the aluminum foil-lined bowl, add salt and baking soda. These ingredients work together as gentle yet effective abrasives to help scrub off the tarnish.
3. Add the dish detergent to the mixture. Dish detergent is excellent for removing oils and dirt that have built up on your jewelry over time.
4. Pour in hot water, but not boiling. The hot water will help dissolve the salt and baking soda, but be careful not to use boiling water, especially with jewelry containing gemstones, as it could damage them.
5. Once the mixture starts to fizz, carefully place your jewelry into the bowl. Make sure each piece is touching the aluminum foil and is covered by water. Let the jewelry sit in this mixture for about 10–15 minutes.
6. After soaking, use an old toothbrush to gently scrub each piece of jewelry. This will help remove any remaining tarnish or dirt. For delicate or intricate pieces, you can also use a soft cloth or a cotton swab to reach tiny crevices.
7. Rinse each piece under warm water. Make sure to remove all the cleaning mixture to avoid leaving any residue, which can cause more tarnish.
8. Pat dry using a microfiber cloth or paper towel. For best results, let the jewelry air dry completely before storing or wearing.
7. Admire your rejuvenated, sparkling jewelry!
A few bonus tips:
• Always check whether your jewelry has specific cleaning instructions. Some materials may not react well to this cleaning method. • Avoid using this method with pearls, opals, or other soft or porous stones as it could damage them.
• If your jewelry contains glued-in gemstones, be aware that soaking could potentially loosen the glue.
• To prevent future tarnishing, store your jewelry in a cool, dry place and avoid exposure to humidity as much as possible.
• Regularly clean your jewelry to avoid heavy buildup of tarnish. The frequency will depend on how often you wear the pieces.
H/T: popsugar.com
How to Tell Your Children You Have Cancer
What's the right way to tell your children you have cancer, and are there situations where you shouldn't?
The Easiest Way to Clean and Freshen Your Mattress
There are thousands of small reasons to clean your mattress, and one simple way to do so!
The Best Way to Clean Your Oven Racks
Let's dive into this clever solution that is set to make your kitchen life a lot easier!
12 New Things You Can Learn For Free From YouTube
Looking to learn something new? Learn some useful new skills with YouTube.
Do You Know All 22 Unique Ways to Use Baking Soda?
Baking soda is amazing - Baking soda can help clean grease off floors, freshen your breath, and even relieve insect bites!
Quick Tip: Clean the Gunk Out of Your Kitchen Cupboards!
A quick tutorial that teaches how to clean your kitchen cupboards without damaging them.
Enrich Your Soil with This Easy-To-Make Compost
Enrich your soil and provide your plants with all the nutrient that they need by making this compost.
12 Things Car Thieves Don't Want You to Know...
Every 43 seconds, a car is being stolen in the United States, which is close to one million vehicles a year. These tips could prevent you becoming a victim.
These Fun Games Will Help Boost Your Memory
Seniors will benefit greatly by playing these memory-enhancing games. Oh, and they are fun!
11 Household Lifehacks You Should Never Forget
These 11 tips are complete life savers!
These Winter Skincare Solutions Are Utterly Genius
The winter can take its toll on your skin, but that doesn't mean that you can't rectify problems quickly and easily. Find out about these 10 genius solutions.
8 Surprising Ways Vinegar Can Help With Pet Care
From being a natural flea remedy to cleaning the aquarium, vinegar proves to be an excellent option for taking care of your pets.
WD-40 Has So Many Uses I Can Hardly Believe It!
If you think WD-40 has only one use, you'll be utterly delighted by this list of 11 other uses.
23 Simple & Helpful Life Tips Everyone Should Know
Quick and simple tips that will help you handle many of life's more irritating moments...
The 6 Most Common Mattress Shopping Mistakes You’re Making
Planning on buying a new mattress? Do keep these tips in mind.
Are You Making These 7 Mistakes with Your Cutting Board?
Are you making these 7 mistakes with your cutting board?
Can My Dog Eat That? An Important Infographic for Dog Owners
If you want to keep your dog safe and happy, you need to know what foods they can and cannot eat.
14 Tips to Give Tired Old Furniture a New Lease On Life
Have you got a pieces of furniture or fixtures and fittings that are looking tired? Try these 14 tips to give them added longevity and a new lease of life.
14 Surprising Foods You Can Indulge Without Gaining Weight
Here are 14 nutritious foods you can eat as much as you want without feeling guilty or afraid that you’ll gain weight. Enjoy!
Who Knew Duct Tape Prevents Blisters & Has All These Uses!
Is any one object more multitasking than duct tape? We really doubt that, and here are just 18 genius ways you can start using it right away
The Devil Is in the Detail, Even When it Comes to Cleaning...
This guide shows you how to clean every room in your home, as well as specific parts of each one. You won't find a more detailed home cleaning guide than this.
WARNING: These 6 Habits Are Damaging Your Teeth!
When brushing our teeth and going about our daily lives, we make mistakes that can damage them. Here are 6 of such mistakes.
How to Revive Your Plants to Shiny Green Again
To help you out, we've put together a comprehensive guide that covers eight signs of plant sickness and provides solutions to restore their health and beauty.
All About Women: 24 Facts About the Fairer Sex
These fascinating facts will probably surprise even our female readers. We gathered 24 facts that we best you've never heard about, and each of them will make you understand yourself and women a bit better.
Bananas Can Do So Much More Than Just Being Food...
Bananas are more than just food, there are at least 15 more uses for them...
Struggling to Wake Up Early? Here are 8 Habits to Avoid
Do you do any of these bad habits in the mornings?
DIY: Make Your Own Wall Stencil in 8 Easy Steps
Get a designer look for half the price. This easy DIY guide will show you how to make a beautiful wall stencil in 8 easy steps.
DIY Secrets: Make Your Own, Home-Made Ziploc Bags!
This video will teach you how to make your own home-made Ziploc bags.
10 Tips for Cleaning With Salt - Number 8 is My Favorite..
Salt can be found in every home, but besides for cooking, it is efficient and useful for cleaning. Here are 10 effective ways to use salt for cleaning.
10 Surprising Grocery Products You Didn't Know You Can DIY
Did you know you could also DIY products like butter, mustard, and deodorants? Learn these useful recipes to reduce the load of your grocery shopping!
These Are the 8 Healthiest Plants To Have In Your Home
Houseplants have health benefits, from cleaning the air around you to boosting your mood. Learn which ones are the healthiest to have around.
Learn to Make a Chocolate Bowl in 2 Minutes Flat!
let's learn how to quickly and easily make chocolate bowls that'll make everyone's day.
9 Genius Ideas For Keeping Your Food Fresh For Longer
These great and simple storage tips will help you keep your food fresher for longer, and save you some extra trips to the grocery store!
Learn to Replace a Bathroom Faucet: Step by Step Tutorial
after watching this step by step video tutorial, you’ll know how to replace a bathroom faucet like a real pro...
10 Smart Ways to Neutralize Any and All Shoe Odors
To combat shoe smells, we've compiled a list of 10 simple solutions that are readily available in most households.
Freeze Your Food Quickly and Efficiently with These Tips
Which foods can you freeze for later use?
Are Your Houseplants Leaking Water? This Is What It Means
Is it good if your indoor plants are emitting droplets of water? Every houseplant owner ought to know the answer to this one...
These Tips Will Help You Keep Your Car In Order
These hacks will help you get shinier headlights, organize your interior, and provide a nifty hack to help you remove a small car dent and lots more.
We All Have Aspirin - And Here Are 9 Things to Use It For
Aspirin is about as pedestrian a pill as you can think of - or so you might think! In reality it has loads of surprising uses. Here are 9 of the best.
Life Tips: How to Take Back Control from Unbearable People
Are selfish people driving you up the wall? This handy guide will help you to identify a selfish person, and show you how to effectively deal with them.
14 Fall Plants Perfect for Brightening Up Your Garden
These 14 perennial flowers can be enjoyed long after summer has ended, and just look at how beautiful they are! How will they look in your garden?
This DIY Solution Can Clean Even the Dirtiest of Bathtubs
Nobody likes getting down on their hands and knees to scrub the grime off the bathtub. Thankfully, this fantastic concoction will do all the hard work for you!
Easily Create These 8 Natural Sprays
Eight wonderful recipes to make eight natural sprays that can make your life easier and healthier.
13 Mistakes You’re Making in the Shower!
Do you take a shower every day? If so, you're already making one of the 13 shower mistakes most people aren't aware of. Discover them all in the next article.
12 Home Maintenance Mistakes I Wished I Knew Earlier
Care to find out if you’ve fallen prey to some of these home maintenance myths?
Manage Stress in Your 50s with These Meditation Techniques
Manage stress in your 50s with these meditation styles.
Solve Common Issues With Your Clothes Using These 20 Tips
Keep your clothes in perfect condition with these nifty tricks!