Simple Silver Cleaner.  Why scrub when you can clean your silver with this easy chemical reaction? 

sheet of aluminum foil

2 Tbs. salt

very hot water

clean non-metal sink or container

Place the sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of your sink or container.  Add the salt and fill your container with very hot water.  Place your tarnished silver and silver-plated items in the container and soak for 2-3 few minutes. Watch as the tarnish leaves the silver and appears on the foil!  (Can you smell the sulfur coming out of this chemical reaction?) Remove, rinse and dry. Done! 

Got tough tarnish?  Try doubling the salt and pour in 1 to 2 cups of baking soda dissolved in boiling water. Soak silver for 5 to 10 minutes, making sure that as much of the silver as possible is in contact with the aluminum foil.

Tarnish on silver is caused by a chemical reaction between the silver and sulphur compounds it comes in contact with -- most commonly hydrogen sulfide in the air.  Sources include wool, rubber bands, eggs and onions.  We commonly clean off the silver sulfide using polish that is mildly abrasive, or that contains a chemical that can dissolve the tarnish. But another method is to use a chemical reaction to convert the silver sulfide back to silver.  When tarnished silver, salt, aluminum foil and water are combined they create a chemical reaction known as an ion exchange; this reaction results in the sulphur compounds transferring from the silver to the aluminum foil. In fact, if your silver is tarnished enough, you'll actually see the brown tarnish forming on the aluminum foil!