All you need is a lined bowl, near-boiling water, and a measured mix: one tablespoon each of salt, baking soda, and liquid dish soap. Stir until dissolved, then lay your dull, darkened jewelry directly on the aluminum foil so the metal touches the surface. Over the next five to ten minutes, the tarnish begins to migrate, leaving the pieces brighter without a single stroke of abrasive polish or a pricey commercial cleaner.

Lift each item out, rinse under cool water, and pat dry with a soft cloth, watching the gleam return with every pass. The reaction between foil and baking soda quietly reverses years of discoloration on gold-filled, brass, German silver, and sterling silver. What started as a viral tip becomes something more intimate: a small, almost ceremonial rescue of the things you thought you’d already lost.