How to Care for Your Silver Jewelry

Do you have silver jewelry that tarnishes easily and don’t know what to do about it? The chemical reaction of silver with hydrogen sulfides from polluted air and stimulated by sunlight forms a super thin layer of tarnish, chemically known as silver sulfide. When we wait too long to clean our silver, this layer becomes thick enough to see, and the jewelry begins to darken.

To clean your jewelry, gently rub it with a soft cloth and some high quality silver cleaning solution. Never choose the kind of creamy silver polish which you let dry before polishing it away. The paste clogs the spaces in the intricate scrollwork of your piece of jewelry. Remember not to wipe the cleaning fluid on the non-silver parts of your piece, such as leather, stone, or bone. When you won’t be wearing your silver piece of a period of time, put your silver jewelry away in an airtight container, even a plastic bag will do.

To store you jewelry safely, tuck each piece away in a soft cloth pouch to keep each item separate from the others to prevent tangling of various pieces. Take off your jewelry when you engage in sports, clean house or garden, and especially when swimming in the sea or in a pool. Both chlorine and salt water are very hard indeed on silver jewelry!

Other things to keep in mind in caring for your silver pieces is that beauty products such as nail polish remover, hairspray, and perfume will all damage silver, as will gardening products and cleaning solutions. Pearls, opals and turquoise are also very vulnerable to these chemicals because they are porous stones. You will be disappointed to find the piece discolored or to suddenly see previously invisible cracks start to show up. Avoid immersing them in water for extended periods, too, for the same reason.