How to Refine Silver Without Acid

How to Refine Silver Without Acid
Written By
Charles Poole
Charles Poole
Published: Jul 25, 2011
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
1 minute read

Things You Will Need

  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Aluminum foil
  • Glass cooking dish
  • Fork/spoon
  • Towel

You don’t have to take your silver to a jewelry shop to have it refined without acid. You can do it yourself with a few things found around your home.

  1. Boil 1 cup of water in a pot.

  2. Line a glass cooking dish with aluminum foil.

  3. Put the silver inside the glass cooking dish on top of the foil.

  4. Cover the silver with 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of salt.

  5. Pour the boiling water onto the silver. Only pour enough water into the dish so it’s covering the silver.

  6. Wait for the water to mix with the baking soda. The mixture should smell like rotten eggs.

  7. Use a fork or spoon to move the silver around in the mixture. Wait 30 minutes for the water to cool and then pull your newly cleaned silver out of the water.

  8. Use a towel to dry the silver.

Photo Credits

Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images

Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images

Charles Poole

Charles Poole holds a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing from Appalachian State University. He started freelancing in college for local publications in Boone, N.C. and is continuing his career through online freelancing with a…

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