Jewelry expert reveals simple hack to make tarnished jewelry shine: 'It worked fantastic'

If you walk into a cleaning aisle of a grocery store, the number of different cleaners on display might convince you that you need a different formula for every nook and cranny of your home. You'll be able to find cleaners for your wooden floors, glass windows, silverware, tiles, and so much more. 

The truth is that you likely already have the base ingredients for these cleaners around your home — even for a cleaning formula for expensive jewelry.

The scoop

TikToker Home With Christina (@homewithchristina) shared an easy and budget-friendly jewelry cleaning hack that uses everyday household ingredients. 

@homewithchristina Cleaning tarnished jewelry hack #homewithchristina #cleantok #cleaningtiktok #cleantiktok #cleaninghack #cleaningjewlery ♬ All Around the World(La La La) - R3hab / A Touch of Class

"I worked in a jewelry store years ago and this is how we cleaned tarnished jewelry, [with] baking soda, salt, and hot water. It works almost automatically, but I would still let it soak and let the baking soda do its job. You can add more baking soda and scrub with a toothbrush, but that isn't necessary."

The end result is that the tarnish disappears, and your jewelry looks brand new without scrubbing or buying a new product. She also added that to prevent further tarnishing, you can place a single piece of chalk in your jewelry box.

How it's helping

It's common to believe that you need silver cleaner for fine jewelry, but the truth is that the silver cleaner formula is unnecessary and also likely to be a skin irritant. Many household cleaners have harsh ingredients and preservatives that are known irritants to the skin or lungs if touched or inhaled.

This hack is both a time saver, as you do not need to scrub the jewelry, and a money saver, as you likely do not need to buy any new ingredients. Even if you do have to purchase new baking soda and salt, they are two of the least expensive products in the grocery store.

What everyone's saying

The comments are filled with support and glee.

One commenter wrote, "I just tried it and it worked fantastic!"

How often do you worry about toxic chemicals getting into your home? Always 😥 Often 😟 Sometimes 😕 Never 🫠 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Another said, "I have fun jewelry pieces from MK and Kate Spade that tarnished. I used this hack and it worked wonders! I did both gold and silver and [it was] not an issue."

Whenever a consumer can find a way to utilize what they already have at home instead of buying new, especially when it's in a plastic bottle, it's a big win for the planet. Luckily, it's very easy to make your own cleaning spray, steel scrub, and other household necessities.

If you are looking to purge your household cleaners and start making your own, here's a guide to help you get started.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.