Silver jewelry cleaners are almost always highly toxic and very unfriendly to the environment. Wouldn’t it be great if there were an eco friendly and inexpensive way to clean your silver jewelry? There is and you might be surprised that you have to look no further than your bathroom - toothpaste*.
As silver is exposed to the air, it causes oxidation, which in turn causes the silver to collect tarnish. Toothpaste is a very effective cleaner of silver. It is important to note that the most important ingredient in toothpaste is baking soda that does the tarnish removal, so many gel toothpastes will not suffice. I recommend Tom’s of Maine’s Natural Antiplaque Toothpaste with Propolis & Myrrh, as it contains baking soda and minimal other ingredients.
Rather than reinvent the wheel, I’m going to reference a snippet from an article by eHow.com that illustrates the process of using toothpaste to clean your silver jewelry:
“Step 1:
Choose the right toothpaste. The key to using toothpaste as a silver jewelry cleaner is the baking soda. Do not use gel toothpaste, as it usually does not contain baking soda. And, avoid toothpastes that boast tartar-control or whitening power, as they may include chemicals that can harm your silver.Step 2:
Use a soft dampened cloth to clean more delicate jewelry or softer silvers. Wet the silver and add a dab of toothpaste. Remember that a little goes a long way. Rub gently with the moistened cloth until polished.Step 3:
Add a bit more toothpaste if the cloth becomes dark with tarnish and continue cleaning. Simply wash the darkened toothpaste foam from the jewelry piece, rinse the cloth and begin again.Step 4:
Scrub your silver jewelry gently with a toothbrush for stubborn tarnish or hard to reach grooves. Try to find an old worn toothbrush or buy a new soft-bristled toothbrush to prevent scratching.Step 5:
Rinse the polished silver jewelry in warm water and dry with a soft towel.”
So, there you have it - a more eco-conscious way to clean your silver jewelry.
*This post is limited to cleaning silver jewelry, so please don’t apply these techniques on other types of jewelry.
August 19th, 2008 - 1:52 pm
This is a great idea. I have a ton of silver jewelry and bought an expensive silver cleaner that smelled terrible and didn’t work. I tried this and it totally worked. Thanks!
September 9th, 2008 - 7:23 pm
Wow, who knew? Now if I had any silver, I would know how to clean it! A friend of mine inherited her mother’s complete silver set and has wrapped each piece carefully in plastic wrap and placed everything proudly on display in her china cabinet. Weird, huh? but she never has to clean it!
September 18th, 2008 - 4:11 am
Bloody fantastic site i have added it to my favourites as i make jewellery and have always been looking for an eco way to clean my jewellery …. fantastic thank you your links have some exceptional finds to thank you again xx
September 29th, 2008 - 9:40 pm
Wow, in all my years of shining up junk silver I have never heard of tooth paste. This is a great way to clean silver and it works surprising well.
October 22nd, 2008 - 11:33 pm
The toothpaste alternative to traditional silver polish is certainly one I intend to mention to my visitors. Recently, I gave my wife a gift of a sterling silver bracelet and since she is big on eco issues, she will be very pleased with this alternative to keep her silver jewelry clean and bright.
November 9th, 2008 - 8:10 pm
I heard that toothpaste makes silver more easily tarnishable later because it removes a layer, because most toothpaste today has micro grit in it to help clean teeth.