When silver jewlery becomes tarnished, it’s easy to revive its beauty at home. Spray a microfiber cloth, sponge or cotton cloth with plant-based, ammonia-free glass cleaner and wipe away the tarnish in a back-and-forth motion. Rinse with warm water and dry. You can also use baking soda and vinegar or toothpaste for a more natural clean. But be cautious with toothpaste, which contains whitening ingredients that could damage your fine silver jewelry.

For heavier tarnish, make a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water. Wet the silver and apply the paste with a delicate, lint-free cloth (not paper towels). Work the solution into the cracks of the design. The silver should turn grey as the tarnish is removed; rinse and dry.

Vinegar can also be an effective silver cleaner. Soak silver items in a mixture of distilled white vinegar and a couple tablespoons of baking soda for up to a few hours. Rinse, dry and polish.

You can also clean tarnished silver with commercial nonabrasive polishes like Twinkle or Blitz, says Herman. McConnaughy recommends a cleaning foam that’s safe for silver plated items: Hagerty Silver Foam. Or, dip a cotton pad into silver polish and rub away tarnish starting at an outside edge, turning the sponge over each time it darkens. Rinse the item, and then buff it with a dry cloth. The best thing to do, however, is keep up with regular cleanings. Doing so will help you avoid serious tarnish buildup that will require a more involved process to restore it. silver jewlery cleaner