You will need a container large enough to hold the item to be cleaned, preferably made of aluminium, such as a pot, pan or jam pan, etc. Alternatively, use enough aluminium foil to cover the bottom of a glass bowl.
1 Make a solution by mixing 1 rounded dstspn washing soda per 1L hot water. Make sure it is enough to cover what you wish to clean. Immerse the item in the liquid, making sure that it is in contact with the aluminium when in the solution.
2 Lightly tarnished items should come clean in seconds, while heavily tarnished items may need a repeat treatment and even the help of a soft-bristled paintbrush to help rub off the tarnish. Be careful, though. I was demonstrating this on camera once and it wasn’t working fast enough, so I kept adding more washing soda, which removed the silver plating! Be patient is the
lesson here.
3 If you are cleaning a lot of cutlery in a stainless steel sink or similar container, it will take longer as the solution will first clean the stainless steel. It is the use of aluminium that sets off the cleaning action.
4 Rinse in clear water and dry with a soft cloth. Warning: Do not immerse any non-metal items or if the object has a painted surface, as damage could be caused. Be cautious with jewellery if it contains non-silver components.
