Cleaning of Sterling Silver Jewelry

Jewelry Discussion
21

Beth,

Calgon will be found in the bath aisle of the store. It’s to soften
the skin while you bath, if you have hard water. It would probably be
with the bubble bath, bath oils, body wash, and such aisle. Go to
your local Target or local grocery store and you should find it in
their bathing products aisle. It’s usually in a boxed powder form and
has a pull-out spout on it, though I do believe it also comes in
liquid form too.

Hope this helps.

22

FWIW Calgon water softener is 40-45% sodium carbonate (washing soda)
which is why it works for this application

James Binnion
@James_Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts

360-756-6550

23

Also, do you consider tin foil and aluminum foil to be
interchangeable?

Tracy

24

Gary,

How much of which does one use....?

About 1 teaspoon of salt, one of calgon powder or liquid, one or two
cups water of any temperature, plastic or glass container, tin foil
on bottom. Take tin foil out when not using or the tinfoil dissolves.

Richard Hart

25 
I have tried finding Calgon water softener, and we must not have
water that needs softening around here....none to be found! When I
ask, the clerks want to know if I want pool water softener. Do I?
Are they all the same? What chemical make up am I looking for?

Please try where the dishsoap is, if you can’t find I found this
link

http://tinyurl.com/2lr9mt

to by it online. Not all the supermarkets in our area carry it. If
anyone can’t find it and wants to try it, e-mail me offline with your
address and I will send you an ounce or 2 for free.

Richard Hart

26

I also use baking soda. First, put the tin foil on the bottom of the
pan, heat water to boiling, sprinkle the baking soday on the items,
pour water over them and watch them get nice and clean. I got the
idea years ago watching a TV ad for a tray that cleaned silver. So, I
went to the lab (my kitchen) and experimented.

Eva

27

Hi, Richard…is it really “tin” foil, or Aluminum foil?

28 
Also, do you consider tin foil and aluminum foil to be
interchangeable?

The foil sold for wrapping food is made of aluminium even though
some still call it tin foil. Apparently some also call it silver
paper but it is not made out of silver, it too is aluminium foil so
you are talking about the same thing.

Helen
Preston, UK

29 
Calgon water softener is 40-45% sodium carbonate (washing soda)
which is why it works for this application

For those who cannot find it locally, it may be available mail order
fro Dharma Trading Co.

or

PRO Chemical and Dye

as washing soda is used in fabric dying.

Elaine
Metalsmith, Certified PMC Instructor
http://www.CreativeTextureTools.com ™
Hard to Find Tools for Metal Clay

30 
is it really "tin" foil, or Aluminum foil?

It is aluminum foil, however:.

tin foil
n 1: foil made of tin or an alloy of tin and lead [syn: tinfoil]
2: foil made of aluminum [syn: aluminum foil, aluminium foil]

Richard Hart

31 
I also use baking soda. First, put the tin foil on the bottom of
the pan, heat water to boiling, sprinkle the baking soday on the
items, pour water over them and watch them get nice and clean. I
got the idea years ago watching a TV ad for a tray that cleaned
silver. So, I went to the lab (my kitchen) and experimented.

You do not need hot water. While a quick dip in water is not bad, hot
water can cause damage.

32

Hi Folks,

Well, while I was cooking tea this evening, I thought I’d give the
recommended recipe a try. I had a sterling byzantine chain (which
I’ve asked questions about in another post), a bracelet I made for
myself and a sterling silver medical bracelet that my
endocrinologist makes me promise to wear all the time. The latter
bracelet had gone very ugly (well even more ugly than usual) with
oxidation and pickling hadn’t helped it at all so I thought I’d give
the old hot water, aluminium foil and baking soda a try (as I’d only
got baking soda and not washing soda). It worked like a charm.

I put a layer of aluminium foil in the bottom of a large plastic
mixing bowl, placed the pieces of jewellery on the foil, poured
boiled water from the kettle into the bowl and sprinkled some baking
soda into the bowl. Instant kitchen chemistry, clean jewellery like
new and murky water. It’s not an exact science. Sprinkle in some
baking soda or washing soda or Calgon (whichever you happen to have).
If it’s not working fast enough for your liking, sprinkle some more
in. Don’t put any enamelled silver jewellery in though. My medical
brtacelet has some enamelling on it and it came off but I didn’t mind
as I prefer it plain sterling anyway - I had a feeling it would so
was prepared for it.

Have fun.

Helen
Preston, UK

33

Hi to all, just a chemistry question, Is baking soda the same as
sodium bicarbonate, I want to try the aluminum foil silver cleaning
method and if it is the same how much should I use in the bathing
solution.

Thanks to all,
Thor Hedderich

34 
Is baking soda the same as sodium bicarbonate

For all intents and purposes; yes, purity might not be 100% for
baking soda, but should be more than close enough. (It should say
sodium bicarbonate on the box/bag in the “contents/ingredients”
listing)

Thomas.

35

Hi Thor,

Yes baking soda is basically just sodium bicarbonate. If I were you
I would put the aluminium foil in your plastic bowl, lay your silver
items on the foil, add the water and then sprinkle the sodium
bicabonate into the bowl. Let it do its thing and then if the
reaction stops and not all the tarnish has gone, sprinkle some more
in. And so on.

Helen
Preston, UK

36

bicarbonate of soda, baking soda, and sodium bicarbonate are the
same thing. the aluminum foil thing works half well on large
pieces…temperature is the trick as wella s the dissimilar metals…a
pain in the butt for the results…just pickle the stuff with some
sodium bisulfate( it goes on sale now at most pool stores, and
retail giants as Ph down, or Ph lowerer- 5 lbs for under 10 bucks.
same as sparex #2 but far more consistent and no goo producing junk
added as filler to bump up the cost even further).

37

One more question to add to this thread!

When I solder sterling silver chain even when fluxed it becomes dull
and “yucky”. Does this mean it’s plated, and if so how can I prevent
this from happening and/or remedy the situation?

Thanks in advance for all your expert advice. You all are
appreciated!

lisa lehmann