
How to Clean and Care for Sterling Silver Jewelry
Although
sterling silver is one of the most popular materials for jewelry, it has a
natural defect: tarnish easily. When contacts with oxygen or sulfur, the
surface of sterling silver will oxide and appear dirty and discolored.
The
best way to avoid tarnish is wearing your sterling silver jewelry often.
Friction with your skin and clothes helps to keep it shining, if only keep it
from household chemicals. If tarnish has already built up on your silver
jewelry, don't worry, regular cleaning will get it bright again.
People
use silver cleaners washing their tarnished silver jewelry only to find it
tarnishing much more quickly after a temporary shine. That's because the silver
cleaners can actually remove the anti-tarnish coating and break down the
surface.
In
fact, there are several simple methods that can help you clean your sterling
silver jewelry easily.
1)
Dishwashing soap. Dip your silver jewelry in warm water with mild dishwashing
soap for a while, and then polish with a soft cloth.
2)
White toothpaste. Use a soft cloth to apply some toothpaste to the silver
jewelry and polish, then rinse it with running water and dry with a clean
cloth.
3) Baking soda. For deeper tarnishes, make a baking soda and water paste. Work the paste into the tarnished surface with a soft cloth. Keep rubbing until the tarnish has cleared away. Rinse with hot water and dry thoroughly.