Baking soda remains unbeatable and must have a product in the kitchen and not just for baking but mostly for cleaning. Today, an increasing number of people purchasing more baking soda do this because this product is the perfect cleaning product. It’s also priced quite reasonably.
You could also use it to unclog your pipes and end most of your plumbing problems in all your sinks. And you’ve probably come across articles that outline tens of potential ways that baking soda could be of help.
In this article, we look at the other common use for baking soda – cleaning jewelry, and why it’s an ideal budget-friendly product for cleaning jewelry, especially the ones made of solid sterling silver.
Why baking soda?
Well, baking soda has been proven to work better than typical soaps, and the main reason for this is that baking soda is slightly abrasive.
So, even though it is basic, just like soap, it works better.
The only difference between the two and the reason why baking soda has not replaced soap just yet is that, during the manufacture of soaps, fat molecules are added to it, making it less harsh.
Baking soda has no fat molecules to soften it, and as an abrasive, it has the right amount of grit needed to dislodge particles from dirty surfaces and to remove stains from different surfaces.
Is baking soda good for cleaning earrings?
Yes, baking soda is a great remedy, and it works great when it comes to cleaning your earrings.
As mentioned above, it is abrasive, which means that it will knock off any dirt from your dirty and/or tarnished earrings.
Its mild abrasiveness means that it will clean your jewelry without causing any damage to the jewelry – you will not see any scratch lines once you’re done cleaning, which is exactly what makes it a great cleaning solution for your silver jewelry.
It cleans the slightly tarnished and even the heavily tarnished sterling silver jewelry pieces.
How to clean earrings with baking soda
You can use baking soda to clean your earrings, either alone or with other cleaning agents. Below, we are sharing ideas on how to use baking soda to clean your earrings.
1. Baking soda and water paste
This is the most basic and also the gentlest approach to cleaning your earrings. It’s the ideal solution for pretty much all kinds of jewelry, including gold, sterling silver, silver-plated, faux gold, and gold-plated items, among others. It’s also the simplest cleaning procedure.
To clean your jewelry using baking soda,
- First, make a paste using two parts baking soda and one part water in a small bowl that can hold your jewelry. You could warm this mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds to ensure that it mixes well.
- Take this paste and apply it all over the jewelry. If the jewelry is a little too dirty, you’d have to let them sit in there for a few more minutes (about 5-10 minutes).
- Rub the jewelry using a soft cloth or soft-bristled brush to reach the nooks, especially for the very dirty pieces and the detailed ones.
- Rinse your jewelry using clean, cold water to get rid of any baking soda residue. Pour the cleaning solution down the drain. Remove the jewelry, then pat them dry using a lint-free piece of cloth or towel before storage. If you notice that some tarnish is left, you may want to repeat the steps above, letting the earrings sit in the paste for a little while. You could also add a salt and dish soap step to this for your sterling silver pieces and the gold-filled or even the nickel-based pieces.
2. Aluminum, baking soda, salt, hot water
To bring back the shine to your sterling silver pieces of jewelry, especially if your jewelry is heavily tarnished and no longer looks like something you know, this procedure might work well in cleaning the jewelry.
- First, you need to line a saucepan with some aluminum foil. Then add 3 inches of water to your saucepan.
- Next, add 1tsp of baking soda and 1tsp table salt to the water. There will be bubbling, which is to be expected because you are looking at a chemical reaction between the baking soda and the aluminum foil. The bubbling is also there as the jewelry sits in the solution, and this tells you that the jewelry is getting cleaned. Gently stir the mixture using a spoon.
- Now, take the saucepan and place it on the stove, then bring the water to a boil. Once boiled, you can add the sterling silver earrings, then allow this mixture to boil for about 2 minutes. You want to make sure that the water covers your earrings completely.
- Alternatively, you could pour the hot water over the aluminum-lined saucepan after adding baking soda (salt is optional). You will notice fizzing – this is normal. Then add in the jewelry, let them sit in there for about 10-20 minutes.
- Now that the earrings have been in hot water for some time and you are sure the tarnish and gunk is removed, you can remove the jewelry. Use a pair of tongs to remove your jewelry from the hot water.
- Once out, rinse the jewelry under cool, running water, then lay them on a microfiber towel or any other soft cloth that is lint-free. Pat or dab-dry them gently. Once satisfied, store your earrings appropriately – in a cool, dry place (if you don’t want to wear them).
3. Baking soda and Vinegar Paste
Most cleaning hacks recommend the use of baking soda with vinegar at the same time.
This is the case because of the acid-base reaction between the two, a feature that makes them the absolute best partners in crime.
In addition to being a classic at the science fairs, the vinegar and baking soda volcano leave surfaces clean – it’s why this mixture unclogs drains easily, while a paste of baking soda and vinegar will cut through the grease in your oven, leaving it gleaming.
The same principles apply to your jewelry too, and it’s why the baking soda vinegar mix is preferred as the most effective home jewelry cleaning remedy when the jewelry pieces in question are heavily tarnished.
Here, you need to follow these steps:
- In a bowl, mix 1 cup white vinegar with 3 tablespoons baking soda. Soak in the jewelry for some hours, perhaps overnight. Take the jewelry out, then rinse the earrings under cold, dry water. Once clean, you can pat dry them using soft, lint-free cotton or microfiber cloth.
- Note that you could also spot clean your jewelry by buffing the pieces individually using a soft cloth with a paste made out of baking soda and vinegar. Once you’re done buffing, rinse the pieces well, then dab dry the pieces.
Conclusion
Whether used alone (with water alone) or mixed with other cleaning agents like vinegar, salt, or aluminum foil, baking soda does an excellent job cleaning your earrings.
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Stephanie is a jewelry lover when she was a teenager. Her major was fashion design when she was in college. She is a jewelry designer at SOQ Jewelry and other design companies. Now she is also a writer for our website. She writes a lot of designs&brands posts with very actionable tips.