Easy way to clean your silver...

Hate to clean your silver? Hate to get out that paste and get those chemicals all over your hands? I have found this easy breezy method works great:

Aluminum Foil, Baking Soda, and Salt: Place a sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of a pan, add 2-3 inches of water, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Add silver pieces, boil 2-3 minutes, making sure the water covers the silver pieces. Remove silver, rinse, dry, and buff with a soft cloth. This method cleans the design and crevices of silver pieces.

Another method:

Line a shallow pan with aluminum foil.

Fill the pan with about 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) of water.

Mix in 1 teaspoon of baking soda.

Soak silverware in the solution for about ten minutes. The baking soda will "polish" the silverware, removing dirt, stains, and grease.

Rinse the silverware thoroughly under warm, running water.

Air-dry the silverware on a clean towel.

Buff the silverware with a soft, clean cloth. Simply take each piece individually and use the cloth to polish off any water spots. The silverware should shine like new.

More thoughts:

If you have a small job, the best silver polish is white tooth paste. Dab some on your finger, and rub into the tarnish. I have not tried the toothpaste method but have friends who swear by it.

For bigger pieces, use baking soda and a clean, damp sponge. Make a paste of baking soda and water. Scoop the paste onto the sponge, and rub the paste into the silver. Rinse with hot water and polish dry with a soft, clean cloth.

For badly tarnished silver, leave the baking soda paste on the silver for an hour or so, before cleaning off with the help of the sponge and hot water.

Now if any of this makes you nervous, try it on a few pieces you are not truly in love with and be your own judge.

Let's face it, life is too short not to use lovely silver...Jacqueline