Rinse the sterling silver with cool water. Once you have soaked the silver long enough to remove the tarnish, remove the silver from the baking soda solution. Rinse the jewelry with cool, clean water. If possible, use filtered water. Dry the sterling silver with a soft, nonabrasive cloth.
Once you have rinsed the silver, dry it with a cloth made of nonabrasive fabric like microfiber or flannel. Make sure you dry the silver completely with the cloth. Method 3. Use a soft, nonabrasive cloth. A soft, lint-free cloth made of a fabric like flannel or microfiber works well.
Using a nonabrasive cloth will prevent scratches on your sterling silver. Never use an old t-shirt. Printing and ink on the shirt can damage the silver. Make long, back and forth strokes. Gently polish the surface of the sterling silver. Make long strokes that go along with the grain of the silver. Avoid rubbing the cloth in circles, which can magnify existing scratches.
Use clean sections of the cloth. When the area of the cloth you are using to polish the sterling silver turns black, begin using a new section of the cloth. This will ensure you do not place the tarnish you are removing back on the silver. Try a cotton swab for detail.
If you find it difficult to reach tiny, detailed areas of the sterling silver, try using a cotton swab. Make sure the swab is one hundred percent cotton, as other materials may scratch or dull your sterling silver.
Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow. Marcus Shields House Cleaning Professional. Marcus Shields. Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0. Jerry Ehrenwald. Unfortunately, excessive cleaning and polishing can result in a loss of detail. For this reason, we recommend placing oxidized jewelry in a separate area for cleaning.
You're probably familiar with the term "prevention is better than cure". Well, this is certainly true when it comes to sterling silver jewelry. Aside from buying sterling silver from a reputable silver jeweler , here are the best ways to prevent your sterling silver pieces from tarnishing So, avoid wearing jewelry when performing household chores. It's also important to put jewelry on last, so it doesn't come into contact with beauty products or perfume.
Polishing is a great way to spruce up sterling silver fashion jewelry that hasn't tarnished too much. It's also a helpful way to clean oxidized silver, too. We recommend using a special silver cloth to polish the accessories. If you don't have one, use a microfiber or non-abrasive cloth. Never use tissues or paper towels to clean the items, as they could potentially scratch the silver.
You might think rubbing in circles is the best method, but this will only highlight any scratches. If you want to know how to clean sterling silver at home, you'll be glad to know there are many options to try. Soap and warm water is a classic cleaning method, and it can breathe new life into your sterling silver. This should be your first port of call if polishing doesn't work. Try this before you move onto the following sterling silver cleaning tips.
If soap doesn't work, combine water with baking soda to make a paste. You should apply a pea-sized amount of the paste to a clean cloth to polish the silver. If you have stamped, etched or detailed jewelry, we suggest adding more water to make a thinner paste. You should also use a soft-bristled toothbrush to reach any crevices. To determine authenticity, all you have to do is put a magnet near your silver accessory.
As silver ages, it oxidizes—meaning that areas of the piece get darker. For this test, grab a white and clean cloth. Then, massage it in a small area of your silver jewelry. If you find black blemishes, then get excited because your jewelry is legit. Most sterling silver is 7. When copper is exposed to oxygen, salt and moisture, it causes discoloration. Burning fossil fuels also results in silver turning dark. Keep reading for how to clean sterling silver. Upkeep for sterling silver jewelry is crucial for longevity.
See below for the following tips:. Believe it or not, you can avoid tarnishing your sterling silver by wearing your jewelry often. The oils in your skin will serve as a cleansing option for the silver and keep it looking shiny. When using or interacting with the following substances, make sure you keep your sterling silver jewelry off: mayonnaise, eggs, mustard, onions, latex, and wool.
These chemicals can erode the shine in your silver. Another list of big enemies of sterling silver jewelry include cosmetics, lotions, hair sprays, hair products, and perfumes. These products accelerate tarnishing. Humidity and sunlight are also damaging to sterling silver. Exposure to air tarnishes sterling silver. Links or chain bracelets should be unclasped or unhooked so there is not any scratching. As mentioned above, humidity is also damaging —so make sure your storage area is low humidity.
Another option to store jewelry is an airtight and soft fabric-lined box for individual pieces. This means that you should not completely wash jewelry with pearls or opaque gemstones in these mixes because it can damage the stones. After using these solutions, wash your silver with running water or a clean, damp cloth. Then, dry the pieces with a microfiber cloth. Polishing is the most effective solution when tarnishing is not too severe.
These frequently worn pieces typically only need an occasional polish. It's the pieces of finer silver jewelry that sit in boxes or on trays, growing dark from exposure and lack of use, that might need a more vigorous scrubbing. We'll show you how to clean silver jewelry with simple DIY methods that remove tarnish and restore shine. Silver is a soft, lustrous metal, so gentle cleaning is key. A mix of warm water and mild dishwashing soap , or even baby shampoo, will usually do the trick for cleaning everyday jewelry.
This method also works to clean gold jewelry. Fine silver jewelry with diamonds or other precious gems can often be cleaned with soap and water as well.
However, consider speaking to a jeweler before cleaning valuables or have the piece professionally cleaned to be safe. The silver pieces in your jewelry box are likely made of sterling silver rather than pure silver. Sterling silver typically contains about 7.
Copper is the primary culprit behind tarnish on sterling silver jewelry. To tell if your jewelry is sterling silver versus silver-plated, check the clasp for a marking that says 9. If your necklace or bracelet doesn't have these markings, it's probably silver-plated. If soap and water don't do the trick, you can try other DIY methods for cleaning silver that utilize common pantry and household staples, including baking soda, lemon juice, olive oil, white vinegar, salt, and toothpaste. Mix two parts baking soda to one part water to make a paste, then gently rub the mixture onto the jewelry.
Let the paste dry completely to remove the tarnish. Rinse and dry with a soft cloth or microfiber towel.
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