OK, technically you'll need up to six things because all of these methods require water as well. Hopefully your kitchen also has running water.
1. Dish Soap and Warm Water
For a gentle yet effective cleaning method, mix a few drops of dish soap with warm water. Submerge your silver items in this solution and use a soft cloth to gently rub away any tarnish or dirt. This approach is particularly safe for cleaning sterling silver, ensuring the delicate surface isn't scratched.
Rinse with clean water and dry with your cotton silver cloth to prevent water spots. It's important to note, you should never put your silver in the dishwasher.
2. Baking Soda and Water
To remove tarnish from heavily tarnished silver, create a thick paste using baking soda and water. Apply this paste with a soft cloth in a circular motion, paying extra attention to heavily tarnished areas.
Allow the paste to sit on the silver for 30 seconds for lightly tarnished items or up to 10 minutes for heavily tarnished items. Then, rinse thoroughly with cool water and dry with a microfiber cloth. This method will help you clean sterling silver jewelry and basic silver cutlery alike.
3. Aluminum Foil
For a different approach, line a bowl with aluminum foil, shiny side up. Place your silver pieces in the bowl and sprinkle baking soda over them. Pour boiling water over the items and watch the chemical reaction remove the tarnish.
For the chemical reaction to occur, just make sure the silver is touching the aluminum foil. This method is excellent for cleaning silver-plated jewelry and other silver items without scratching their surfaces.
4. Lemon-lime Soda
Lemon-lime soda (such as Sprite or Starry) can help clean silver items too, especially delicate sterling silver jewelry. Soak the silver in the soda for an hour, then gently scrub with a soft brush.
This method helps avoid the use of abrasive materials that can scratch the silver's surface. Rinse with warm water and dry with a clean cloth to achieve shiny silver.
5. White Vinegar and Baking Soda
Mix white vinegar with baking soda to create a solution for stubborn tarnish. Soak your silver items in this mixture for two to three hours. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.
This method is particularly effective for antique silver, as it can penetrate and remove tarnish without causing damage.