Homemade Silver Cleaner

Cleaning silver is hard work, and store-bought silver cleaner that appears to magically remove tarnish doesn't always work as promised, and it can be quite costly, especially when several large pieces require cleaning. You don't have to buy expensive tarnish remover or silver cleaner to make your silver look like new. The following homemade silver cleaner works very well to remove years of tarnish and grime. Give this homemade silver cleaner a try. With a little elbow grease and the following homemade silver cleaner, your silver will sparkle and shine.

Ingredients and Required Supplies

To make 2 pints of homemade silver cleaner you'll need 2 cups of diatomaceous earth, 1 teaspoon of trisodium phosphate, 1 teaspoon of washing soda, 3 cups of water, and 4 tablespoons of stearic acid. You'll also require a quart-size double boiler, a stirring stick, heavy-duty rubber gloves, a facemask, and 2 pint jars with lids.

Although the ingredients contained in this homemade silver cleaner may be unknown to some, they are very easy to obtain for homemade products. You can find diatomaceous earth at larger garden centers. Trisodium phosphate, more commonly referred to as TSP can be found in most retail stores that sell paint products. Stearic acid is used in candle making, and it can be found in larger craft stores. Washing soda is available in the laundry detergent isle at your local grocery store. Order these products online to save yourself time and a great deal of money.

Warnings

Never place stearic acid over direct heat. It is highly flammable and should always be heated over a double boiler that has been removed from heat and flame. In addition, diatomaceous earth should not be inhaled. Always wear a facemask when working with this product. Lastly, before handling trisodium phosphate and stearic acid, always put on a pair of heavy-duty rubber gloves to avoid skin irritation.

Instructions