Why does sterling silver jewelry tarnish?

Sterling silver jewelry tarnishes but don't worry, it can easily be cleaned back to its natural luster and shine. The tarnish is due to interactins between silver and sulfides in the air. First it takes on a golden hue, then turns black. Humidity, air pollution, and higher sulfide levels in general are the culprits of sterling silver tarnishing. Try walking out your door on a summer day in Florida, and within minutes your sterling silver jewelry will start to blacken! The problem is easily solved, though, with buffing and polishing. You may want to use chemically treated cloths which make the job easier and faster. Nevermind the ever-changing sterling silver jewelry trends, the fact remains that this metal is beautiful, versatile, and easy to take care of!

Some tips for cleaning your Sterling Silver Jewelry

Cleaning Silver Jewelry with professional Tarnish Remover

Be sure the tarnish remover is safe for pearls or soft stones like opal or turquoise if you have that kind of jewelry. Most of these pastes can be applied then removed with a dry cloth. If the piece is antiqued you want to be careful not to remove it.

Cleaning Sterling Silver with Dry Baking Soda

You can clean sterling silver jewelry (even when it is quite tarnished) using Arm and Hammer baking soda. Fill a small freezer baggy half full with baking soda. Drop in the silver jewelry and close the bag. Squish the bag so you are rubbing the dry baking soda into the silver. Remove from the bag and shake out. Remove residue with a soft toothbrush. Careful in using the toothbrush so you don’t remove the antique (the dark color that brings out recessed patterns) that is supposed to be there. Tap the silver jewelry on a paper towel to ensure all the baking soda is removed. Another option is to rinse off the baking soda with warm water and gently use the toothbrush. Rinse well. Dry with a paper towel immediately.

Cleaning Sterling Silver with a Jewelry Polishing Cloth

For sterling silver jewelry a polishing cloth is available at most places that sell jewelry. The cloth will turn dark but can still be used for a very long time. The cloth contains chemical cleaners that will give a lasting luster to your jewelry. You can use it when you notice that your jewelry starts to appear dull. I do recommend that even after polishing you wash the sterling silver jewelry in warm soapy water using a soft toothbrush to clean out the dirt and residue from the cracks. Dirt and oils from the skin sitting in the recessed spaces can cause the skin to turn dark. You may think it’s the metal and find when you clean it the problem was the dirt and oils. Of course some people do have allergies to metal and their skin may darken as a reaction to metals. To order a Jive Jewelry polishing cloth click here: jive polishing cloth.

Cleaning Sterling Silver with a Matte Shine

Sometimes a piece of silver jewelry has a combination of high polish shiny places with a matte look or slightly dull antiqued look. If you like that look and feel you have polished the piece too shiny you can soften the shine to make it look a little more antique with a fine steel wool (the kind used on wood between varnish coats). If you dull it too much polish with baking soda again or soft cleaning cloth. Just remember that when you use steel wool you are putting mild abrasive marks on the silver which is what gives it the matte look. So only use on the places you want to have a matte finish.

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