How do you clean tarnished sterling silver at home safely?

The safest everyday clean is the simplest: warm water, a drop of mild dish soap, a soft cloth, and a thorough dry. For real tarnish, the baking soda and aluminum foil bath works by actual chemistry, not scrubbing: line a bowl with foil, add hot water and a spoonful of baking soda, and rest the silver against the foil for a few minutes. The tarnish transfers to the foil and the shine comes back without removing any silver.

What causes the cloudy, spotted look people complain about after polishing is almost always an abrasive. Toothpaste and scouring powders scratch sterling, and heavily tarnished pieces cleaned harshly can come out hazy. Work gently, and finish with a proper silver polishing cloth for the final shine.

One important exception: stones. Pearls, opals, turquoise, and other soft or porous stones should never go into a dip, a foil bath, or an ultrasonic cleaner. For jewelry with stones, clean the metal with a barely damp cloth and keep the stones dry. When in doubt, a soft dry cloth is always safe.