How to Clean Silver Jewelry

Silver Can Get Dirty and Tarnished from Handling and Everyday Wear
Silver jewelry gets dirty from wear and tear, or even from transport and handling when you’re displaying it to customers. Silver also gets tarnished when it is constantly in contact with oxygen and sulfur in the air. A tarnished appearance occurs when sulfur becomes bound to the surface of silver.

Preventing and Limiting Tarnishing and Staining is the Best Approach
The best way to prevent tarnishing and maintain a piece’s lustrous appearance is to keep silver jewelry in a sealed bag when it isn’t in use or being displayed. When placed in the sealed bag, silver jewelry must also be completely dry, because water causes tarnishing as well.

Always Clean Silver Jewelry with a Polishing Cloth
The best option for cleaning silver jewelry is to use a jewelry cleaning cloth, which has two sheets of cotton: the outer layer is cotton for buffing, and the inside layer contains special chemicals that will whiten silver jewelry and make it look like new. Each cloth lasts for dozens of uses Hand polishing silver is a great way to keep silver shiny, and will not damage its patina.

A Trade Secret: Windex (yes, Windex)
Another easy way to clean jewelry if the piece doesn’t have any cubic zirconia, glued stones, or other precious stones, is to use Windex. Dipping the jewelry in Windex and then in clean water can make jewelry shiny again. It is not as effective as a jewelry cloth cleaner, but it can be used in a pinch when you’re at a show and a jewelry cleaning cloth is not available (just find the janitor and ask to borrow a quarter bottle of Windex!)

Don’t Do Anything That Will Scratch or Damage Your Jewelry
It is highly recommended that you avoid using toothbrushes or any object with bristles to clean your silver jewelry. Silver is a very soft metal, and this will result in permanent scratches which will devalue your jewelry. It is also a bad idea to wash sterling silver jewelry with stainless steel jewelry. Washing them together will result in chemical reactions, resulting in sterling silver jewelry with black marks. Also, using soap that contains phosphate can turn your sterling silver jewelry brown.

Do you have any jewelry cleaning tips? If so, please share by leaving a comment!