The method is simple. Submerge the coins in Coke for 1 hour, then clean off with water and a toothbrush. Obviously don't do this with coins of any genuine financial or historic value, as the phosphoric acid could potentially damage the coin if you 'overdo it. '
You can use Coke to clean silver, but it's best for small pieces. Tarnish is removed by the acid in the Coke. It should only take a few minutes to work, so keep an eye on it and remove the silver as soon as it looks clean.
STEP2 - Pour out a glass of your cola. STEP3 - Cover one side of each coin with Blu-Tac but leave the other side open. STEP4 - Pop your coins into your glass of coke. STEP5 - Sit back and wait but you should be able to see a difference in the colour of your coins within about an hour.
The only kind of cleaning I do to a coin is a simple bath in warm water with some dish detergent mixed in. Agitate with a soft brush and that should get rid of any loose dirt and grime on the coin's surface, but preserve the patina.
The steps for using Coke to remove rust are similar to removing rust with vinegar: leave to soak, scrub and rinse. Instead of soaking for three days, Coke only needs 24 hours. If you have items which cannot be soaked, such as taps, motorcycle parts and more, simply dip aluminium foil into Coke and scrub the rust away.
Dust your silver every so often using a soft cloth—it will help keep the tarnish away. And whenever you start to see it slightly tarnish (which will vary depending on the piece and how pure the silver is—less sterling tarnishes more quickly), simply give it a light cleaning using a gentle dish soap (like Dawn).
One reliable method is to look for hallmarks or jewelry stamps on the piece, which typically indicate purity levels, such as “925” for sterling silver. Another method is the magnet test; genuine silver is not magnetic, so if a magnet sticks to the item, it's likely not real silver.
Avoid using abrasive materials such as steel wool or harsh scrubbing pads, as they can scratch the surface of the silver. Do not use bleach or other harsh chemicals, as they can discolor or damage the silver. Avoid using ultrasonic cleaners, as they can damage certain types of gemstones that may be set in the silver.
Silver is stable in pure air and water, though it tarnishes quickly when exposed to air that contains elevated levels of ozone, hydrogen sulfide or sulfur. (In the past 200 years, the amount of sulfur in the atmosphere has increased, so silver tarnishes more quickly than it did in pre-Industrial times.)
What's the difference between sterling silver and silver? Sterling silver is an alloy made mostly of silver and a small percentage of copper and zinc to strengthen it. It can last a lifetime and be passed on for many generations if properly cared for. Silver is soft and not as durable as sterling silver.
Place the silver pieces that you want to clean in a bowl or container and pour over the coke or soft drink of choice. Allow the items to soak for between one and three hours depending on their condition. Then remove them and rinse thoroughly in clean water.
You can easily clean silver with aluminum foil, baking soda and hot water. This method uses electrolytic action instead of chemical-polish abrasion and removes the tarnish from oxidized silver without removing any of the underlying metal.
In the case of silver bullion bars or coins, the value of these items would not be affected by tarnish. They still contain the same amount of silver whether they are tarnished or not. Similarly, if selling silver jewellery as scrap then tarnish will not impact the value.
Here are examples of instructions given by silversmiths in the 17th and 18th centuries. 1737 – "Clean it now and then with only warm water and soap, with a Spunge, and then wash it with clean water, and dry it very well with a soft Linnen cloth, and keep it in a dry place, for the damp will spoyle it".
Windex is safe to use on silver, gold, and platinum bands but is not safe for copper. Combine the Windex and hydrogen peroxide in a 50/50 mixture and soak the ring for about 10 minutes. Then, brush with a soft toothbrush, rinse, and dry.
Cleaning silver with Vinegar
Even the most tarnished pieces of silverware can come back to life just by using vinegar. The combination of bicarbonate of soda, aluminium foil and vinegar make for a deadly foe to tarnish and will leave your silverware looking beautiful once more.
"Silver also oxidizes and tarnishes. Rub the tarnished piece as if polishing. If no black residue appears on your cloth, it's not silver." Polishing the silver item is a very good indicator of its authenticity. Rust or a lack of oxidation indicates that the item is made of a different material from silver.
This is key: warm water + baking soda + aluminum foil = a chemical reaction that causes the silver sulfide (tarnish) to change back into silver, freeing the sulfur atoms to migrate and attach instead to the aluminum foil.
Vinegar and Baking Powder:
Baking powder can work wonders with rust. It makes an effective paste mixed with vinegar. Rub the paste onto the rust spots and leave to work for at least 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.
You simply need to fill a small bowl up with Coke and let your silver items soak in there for a few minutes. You don't need to leave it in there too long because Coke is acidic. When silver gets overpolished with chemicals or acid, it can remove the tarnish but also remove the shine.
While vinegar by itself is a mild acid, the salt increases the acidity in the solution and let it chew rust even faster. When using a full gallon of vinegar, add a full cup of salt per gallon of vinegar. For this block plane, two hefty tablespoons, distributed evenly, was the perfect amount.