What is the Best Way to Clean Silver Jewelry?

By Sarah Carnegie

Most of us love to wear silver jewelry. One may choose delicate filigree pieces or chunky tribal pieces and everything in between, to suit one's taste. But it is soon noticed that the once shiny and lustrous silver pieces have become black or have tarnished, taking away its beauty completely. So what is the best way to clean silver jewelry?

Why Do Silver Get Black and Tarnish?

Let us first look at the reasons behind this tarnishing and blackening of silver jewelry. The sliver pieces blacken as and when they come in contact with water, perspiration, soap and chlorine. Other reasons for the blackening are the presence of humidity, sulfides and pollution in the air.

While we can do nothing about the kind of air it is exposed to when we wear it, there are a few things that can take care of it while it is being stored. Wipe the piece with a soft cloth before storing it. Remember to store it in a dry and dark place. It would be better if you could store it wrapped in tissue paper and sealed in zip lock pouches.

Even with all the care that you may bestow on your silver jewelry you can not protect it entirely from tarnishing or blackening. You will need to clean your silver jewelry periodically to maintain its beauty and shine. There are many ways to do it.

The Best Ways to Keep Your Silver Clean

The best way to keep your silver jewelry in good condition is to shine it with a soft cloth. Normally a good buffing with a soft cloth is enough to get back the old shine. More over it is the best way as it does not remove the patina from the silver pieces.

Another good home remedy to clean your silver jewelry is to use the mundane toothpaste. Yes you can use a non abrasive tooth paste to bring back the shine on your silver pieces. You need to use a very soft bristled toothbrush to clean it. Once you have buffed it wash it clean with water. Wipe it dry and use the Sunshine cloth to dry it and buff it.

You can even use some baking powder and hot water to clean your precious jewelry. Line a basin with aluminum foil and place the pieces on it. Dust the pieces liberally with baking soda and then pour hot boiling water over it. Keep turning the pieces; remove them after a maximum of two minutes. Wash with clean water, dry and buff them.

As a last resort to clean really stubborn tarnish you can opt for cleaning fluids that are available in the market. Use them only if nothing else works on the tarnish. These dips take away the patina of the silver pieces and the pieces acquire a too shiny look. Don't leave your silver jewelry in the dip. Just dip it in and pull it out. These commercial solutions can harm soft gemstones. Remember to wash them clean and then dry and buff them.