When silver tarnishes, it loses color and brightness as it combines with sulfur and forms silver sulfide as a result of exposure to moisture or air. By removing the silver sulfide coating from the surface, you can return the silver or silver plated object back to its original luster. There are two ways to remove the coating of silver sulfide. One way is to physically remove the silver sulfide from the surface. The other is to reverse the chemical reaction and turn silver sulfide back into silver.
The tarnish-removal method used in the experiment below uses a chemical reaction to convert the silver sulfide back into silver. In this experiment, the silver sulfide reacts with aluminum to restore the luster in the silver object. The reaction between silver sulfide and aluminum takes place when the two are in contact while they are immersed in a baking soda solution. The reaction is faster when the solution is warm/hot. The silver and aluminum must be in contact with each other, because a small electric current flows between them during the reaction. This type of reaction is called an electrochemical reaction.
You can use chemistry to bring the shine back to your tarnished silver
You'll need a tarnished piece of silver, a pan or dish large enough to completely immerse the silver in, aluminum foil to cover the bottom of the pan, enough water to fill the pan, a pot or kettle in which to heat the water, hot pads or kitchen mitts, and baking soda (about 1 cup per gallon of water).
Line the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil. Set the silver object on top of the aluminum foil. Make sure the silver touches the aluminum.
Heat the water to boiling. Remove it from the heat and place it in a sink. To the hot water, add about one cup of baking soda for each gallon of water. (If you need only half a gallon of water, use half a cup of baking soda.) The mixture will froth a bit and may spill over; this is why you put it in the sink.
Pour the hot baking soda and water mixture into the pan, and completely cover the silver.
Almost immediately, the tarnish will begin to disappear. If the silver is only lightly tarnished, all of the tarnish will disappear within several minutes. If the silver is badly tarnished, you may need to reheat the baking soda and water mixture, and give the silver several treatments to remove all of the tarnish.
The tarnish-removal method used in the experiment below uses a chemical reaction to convert the silver sulfide back into silver. In this experiment, the silver sulfide reacts with aluminum to restore the luster in the silver object. The reaction between silver sulfide and aluminum takes place when the two are in contact while they are immersed in a baking soda solution. The reaction is faster when the solution is warm/hot. The silver and aluminum must be in contact with each other, because a small electric current flows between them during the reaction. This type of reaction is called an electrochemical reaction.
You can use chemistry to bring the shine back to your tarnished silver
You'll need a tarnished piece of silver, a pan or dish large enough to completely immerse the silver in, aluminum foil to cover the bottom of the pan, enough water to fill the pan, a pot or kettle in which to heat the water, hot pads or kitchen mitts, and baking soda (about 1 cup per gallon of water).
Line the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil. Set the silver object on top of the aluminum foil. Make sure the silver touches the aluminum.
Heat the water to boiling. Remove it from the heat and place it in a sink. To the hot water, add about one cup of baking soda for each gallon of water. (If you need only half a gallon of water, use half a cup of baking soda.) The mixture will froth a bit and may spill over; this is why you put it in the sink.
Pour the hot baking soda and water mixture into the pan, and completely cover the silver.
Almost immediately, the tarnish will begin to disappear. If the silver is only lightly tarnished, all of the tarnish will disappear within several minutes. If the silver is badly tarnished, you may need to reheat the baking soda and water mixture, and give the silver several treatments to remove all of the tarnish.
