The answer for silver

My mom gave me some silver this week. I was a tea set that was my Grandma's and I have another cream and sugar set that was my great aunt's (I think). I also have some cute spoons that were my Grandma's as well (in a jar on the top right). See the cream and sugar set on the bottom shelf and the tray from the tea set behind my husband's wine glasses.

But I really don't do polishing. I don't even own any silver polish. I am way too lazy for that. Fortunately, my mom had a solution that was quick and did not require elbow grease.

So here is how I took this set from here ...

... to here. I know it's not perfect but it is a whole lot better!

First step: go to the store and buy Calgon. I didn't really know what it was ( I guess that makes me young!). Apparently it is a water softener and can be found by the dish soap. But not in Superstore. I got mine at Save On but I saw it at Thrifty's as well. Also pull out the tin foil and salt.

Step two: put tin foil in the bottom of the sink and 1/2 cup calgon and a shake of salt on top.

Step three: pour boiling water over the whole thing. Then if you are me and you didn't boil quite enough, supplement it with very hot tap water. But that is not the official Cora method are we clear?

Step four: add the silver things once everything is dissolved. Let the silver sit on the tin foil totally submerged in water. It *should* take only 15 seconds, or "instantly" according to my mom. But I let it sit for a bit while I did a few things. Seriously folks it was pretty tarnished. That set has been in a box unloved since I got married 10 years ago!

That's it. It comes out pretty darn shiny. This is how my mom does all her silver. It has a bit of a yellow cast to it but I don't know if that is because of the reaction or because my silver is old.

I think if you were a perfectionist (if my husband was doing this) you would then finish off by polishing after the bulk of the work was done. But I am a good enough-ist. So it is now on my shelf.