How to clean silver jewelry

There are many ways to clean silver at home. I suggest the way I have tried and liked very much.

• Pour half-liter of hot water in a container. 
• Water should not be boiling, because it can damage your gems. 
• Put aluminum foil of size A4 in the water and add a tablespoon of baking soda. 
• Then put silver jewelry (silver has to be in contact with aluminum foil) and wait 3 minutes (maximum 5 min). 
• After that remove jewelry from the container, rinse and wipe. Jewelry will once again be white and clean.

For curious minds

Silver tarnishes because of it chemical reaction with sulfur-containing substances in the air. As a result of this reaction silver sulfide (which is black) is formed on the surface of silver.  The silver can be returned to its former luster by removing this layer from the surface.

When tarnished silver is put into water with backing soda and aluminum foil, chemical reaction takes place. As a result the silver is released from sulfur; aluminum oxide and hydrogen sulfide are produced, while the hydrogen sulfide reacts with the baking soda. During this reaction the gas can be observed escaping from the most tarnished parts of the silver. Heat accelerates reaction therefore water has to be hot.

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