Eco tip: cleaning silver

The family silver loses its sheen when tarnished. Unlike copper and brass, the patina of time adds no value to silver, so you can polish away to your heart’s content. Bringing a gleam to treasured heirlooms can be done using commercial preparations, but for those of you who seek them out, there are non-chemical alternatives – many of which have been used for generations. Traditional methods are no longer passed down like cherished secrets, so create your own compendium of domestic tips as a legacy of organic, self-sufficient living.

Keep silver cutlery clean and shiny with this simple, natural method.

You will need
Aluminium pan or stainless steel pan and aluminium foil; bicarbonate soda; vinegar; rubber gloves; wooden spoon; bran; cotton gloves; polishing cloth.

1. Place cutlery in an aluminium pan. Add 1/2 cup of bicarbonate soda (also known as baking soda) dissolved in 4 cups of very hot water. 
2. After a few minutes, wearing rubber gloves, remove the cutlery from the solution. If you need to use an implement, make sure it is wooden (do not use metal tongs).
3. Place the cutlery on a draining board and rinse with a 50/50 vinegar and water solution. Allow to semi-dry and finish with a soft cloth.

Note: After cleaning you must pour the hot soda solution away before adding water to the pan to avoid accidental scalding.

Alternative method: If you don’t have an aluminium pan, place cutlery in a stainless steel pan, cover well with plain hot water and add four balls of scrunched up aluminum foil. Boil for 3 minutes then follow steps 2 and 3 above.

For a perfect polish on larger pieces simply add white vinegar to a bowl of bran to make a paste. Wearing cotton gloves (or a pair of cotton socks), rub the paste all over the piece. Remove the last of the paste then polish with a soft cloth for a glass-like sheen. Find more natural cleaning tips like this in Spotless by Shannon Lush and Jennifer Fleming (ABC Books, 2005).

Photography: Sam McAdam. Styling: Georgia Harvey-Sutton.