“Um, is this silver bracelet supposed to be GRAY?”
We’ve all been there…jewelry that should be a brilliant shine, but due to the air or our skin, our jewelry turns a dull, flat gray as gloomy as a stormy afternoon.
If your jewelry is only mildly tarnished, you can try a simple scrub of dish soap with a soft toothbrush.
But for jewelry that’s really lackluster, or where the soap just won’t work, I recommend you try this method.
It’s kind of like doing a middle school science project, and surprisingly exciting to watch the bits of tarnish flake off and rise to the top of the water. And what I particularly like about this is that it doesn’t require any harsh chemicals — just a few items you already have in your pantry!
For your convenience, this post contains affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure here.
The low-cost (and eco-friendly) way to clean your jewelry with pantry items

If your jewelry is especially tarnished, use this method!
Materials
Tools
- Plastic or glass container with flat bottom
Instructions
- Line the container with aluminum foil.
- Fill the container with warm water and equal parts baking soda and salt (use at least a teaspoon of each, though depending on the size of your container you may need more.)
- Place the tarnished piece on the aluminum foil and let it sit for at
least 10 minutes. You will see bits of tarnish magically float to the top. Depe
Notes
Be careful if your pieces contain other elements, such as beads or pearls. I recommend this method for jewelry that just contains
silver and no other embellishments.
Depending on how tarnished your jewelry is, you may need to do an additional cleaning with the first method.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
IF YOU found this helpful, CONSIDER LEAVING A TIP!
Leave a here tip if you’d like. They’re not required, but always appreciated
Jewelry making inspiration delivered right to your inbox
Sign up for the Linkouture newsletter to receive ideas, tutorials, and practical steps for jewelry making e-mailed to you. You’ll also get exclusive access to my FREE mini video course, Jump Ring Jewels.
You are signing up to receive promotional and marketing materials from Linkouture. You may unsubscribe at any time. Check out Linkouture’s privacy policy for details.
Like this tutorial? Pin it for later!
Your shares are on social media are how this site grows and help more people find the content here on this blog. Know a friend who’d like this? Please share it on Facebook or save it to your favorite natural cleaning board on Pinterest.