Monday, August 31, 2009

Shine On

It seems like I'm always telling you guys to go out and buy this and that specific household cleaning product, until it seems inevitable that soon you won't be able to close the cabinet doors under your kitchen sink anymore, and you'll indignantly cry out, "A hex upon you, Charmed Wife!"
In an effort to prevent that from happening (or at least delay it), today I am going to tell you about a household product you don't have to buy: Silver Polish. Unless you were lucky enough to inherit your Great Aunt Tilly's silver tea service, chances are you probably only have a few silver items around your house- a little box, candlesticks, a few pieces of jewelry...
Instead of spending money on a specific product to shine them, use something you already have around: toothpaste. That's right- plain old Crest or Colgate works just as well as fancy silver polishes to gently remove tarnish and get your silver items shining again.
Just squeeze the toothpaste onto your finger or a very soft cloth and rub the silver items all over. Allow the paste to sit on the item for a few minutes and then rinse with water. It's the perfect solution for when you're in a tight squeeze.

But remember: This is not a two-way street. I'm pretty sure you shouldn't try brushing your teeth with silver polish.

Photo credit: Weekly Green Tip

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did you also know that you can mix vinegar and water for a wonderful cleaning solution for windows?

No need to buy Windex or other pricey products!

Lily said...

Great tip! The acid kills bacteria, and it's so much greener and less toxic than most of the commercial products out there. On the downside, you have to like the smell of vinegar...