How to clean silverware to a perfect shine: an unexpected way

Silverware tarnishes quickly, so it can be difficult to keep it clean even after washing. You can restore shine and cleanliness to your cutlery with carbonated beverages.

However, it is important to make sure that the drinks contain only one active ingredient. How to clean silverware to a perfect shine – House Digest experts told us.

An effective remedy

Lemon-lime carbonated drinks will come in handy when cleaning silver. First of all, pay attention to the composition – the drink should contain citric acid.

Since citric acid removes silver sulfide, which is the plaque on forks, spoons, and knives, these carbonated drinks can polish the dishes.

Studies have shown that citric acid can clean tarnished silver. Carbonated drinks contain a fair amount of sugar (except for diet versions), so this cleaning method is the best life hack for polishing cutlery.

Step-by-step instructions

1. All you need is a bottle of any lemon-lime fizzy drink (as long as it contains citric acid).
2. Put the silverware in a bowl and pour the drink over it so that all the parts are completely immersed in the liquid. Wait for at least an hour - this should be enough time for the citric acid to eat away at the plaque.
3. Rinse the silverware thoroughly under running water. The cutlery will be clean and shiny.

Why this life hack is effective

A study published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage tested several methods for cleaning tarnished silver. Citric acid and other mild acids were mentioned as moderately effective in getting rid of tarnish. So this is an effective, but not the fastest option.

A University of Maryland study also found that citric acid can clean gold-plated silverware. Since it is usually unclear how much citric acid carbonated drinks contain, this option can give different results depending on how much the surfaces have tarnished.

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