Silverware and silver jewelry are usually made of sterling silver, which is soft and vulnerable to tarnishing.

Silver tarnishes when it is exposed to high levels of oxygen.

Mix one tablespoon of lemon juice, half a cup of instant dry milk, and one and a half cups of water in a bowl and soak your sterling silver in the mixture.

Soak the silver in the mixture overnight, then rinse it and dry it thoroughly.

For a quick polish, just pour lemon juice over the tarnished pieces of silver and polish them with a soft cloth.

Clean brass and copper objects by dipping them in a mixture of lemon and salt. The salt helps by working the acid from the lemon deep into the tarnish, so that the tarnish is easily removed.

Pipes, fixtures and decorative objects throughout the house are often made from copper and brass.

Copper and brass turn green when they tarnish. It is important to take time to clean them when you see them start to turn funny colors.

Mix baking soda with lemon juice till it forms a paste. Use this on your copper or brass to remove tarnish.

This mixture has an abrasive texture, as a result of the salt and cornmeal, which gently rubs off the tarnish from the soft metal surface.