How to Clean Silver Jewelry

Use polishes intended for silver metal. When tarnish forms on silver, soaking the jewelry in a solution of salt water and aluminum may not be enough to remove the tarnish. The special formulation of silver jewelry polish is the safest choice for polishing silver jewelry, especially if it is antique jewelry or those with intricate designs. ^[4]

• Even special polishes can remove a layer of silver, so if you’re dealing with delicate jewelry it’s a good idea to have a professional clean it for you.
• Instead of buying polishing products at regular stores, consider buying them at a jewelry store or at a store that has a high-quality jewelry section.

Rub a little polishing solution into the jewelry. Moisten the soft silver polishing cloth or sponge that was included with the purchase of the polish and apply a small amount of the polish to the cloth. Gently rub the solution onto the jewelry. Only rub in a straight line and in an up and down motion. Avoid scrubbing vigorously or in circles as it can leave scratches or patterns on the surface of the jewelry. Let the polishing solution do its job.

Wash and dry the jewelry. Rinse jewelry with cool water. Be sure to rinse off any remaining polish so it can’t continue to corrode the surface of the jewelry. Then, use a soft cloth to dry the jewelry.

Consider using common household products to clean jewelry that doesn’t have much value. These products can often remove stubborn tarnish, however they can cause damage to jewelry such as pitting or scratches. You can try them out if you really want to.

• Use toothpaste. Choose a toothpaste that is pure white only and has no whitening functions. Use a soft, damp cloth or you can use a damp sponge and put some toothpaste on. Gently rub the cream onto the jewelry in a straight line and in an up and down motion. Be very gentle, and if you notice the cream scratching your jewelry, stop and rinse the cream off your jewelry. When the cloth or sponge becomes dirty due to the stains, add more toothpaste to the clean cloth/sponge and continue polishing the jewelry gently. Rinse jewelry with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.
  
• Baking soda can help remove stubborn stains, but don’t use this method unless you really accept the damage it can do to silver. Mix baking soda in a little warm water to make a paste, gently rub the mixture on the surface of the jewelry, and rinse the jewelry when the tarnish has been removed. ^[5]
  

Try using “silver dip solution”. Regular silver “dipping” solutions can remove tarnish without you having to rub the jewelry, but it can wear away a layer of silver. Therefore, you should only use this method as a last resort. Contrary to what the word “dipping” means, professionals sometimes have to soak silver in these products to get rid of the tarnish, but they don’t have to soak for too long. These solutions are often quite strong chemicals and can be dangerous, so follow instructions for use and contact a professional if you have any questions.

Clean jewelry regularly. Clean silver jewelry regularly, and clean them immediately after each use. Frequently used silver jewelry rarely tarnishes. When tarnish has not yet formed, or just as it is beginning to appear, rinse jewelry with warm (not hot) water and use mild phosphate-free cleaners.

• Quick cleaning of jewelry is especially important when silver jewelry comes in contact with certain sulfur-containing foods, or acidic or salty foods. In addition, common foods such as table salt, eggs, certain fruits, onions, mayonnaise, and vinegar often harm silver.
• In all cases, you should rinse silver jewelry immediately after use or at least rinse them with warm water, and should not get silver contaminated with dirty dishwashing liquid containing traces of food.

Wash each piece of jewelry separately. You should wash silver jewelry separately from other silverware, such as bowls or silverware, as metal sinks and utensils can scratch silver jewelry. .

• You should also avoid using rubber gloves when washing silver jewelry because rubber can corrode silver jewelry.
  
• Silver jewelry can also be damaged if it comes in contact with stainless steel, so you should avoid placing jewelry in the sink to wash them; order a separate bowl instead.

Dry jewelry with polishing cloth. Use a special polishing cloth or regular soft, lint-free cloth to gently rub the silver after rinsing. Make sure the silver is completely dry.

• Silver can be quite soft, so scratchy, dry towels are more than enough to create dents in the surface of silver. So remember to use soft fabrics.
• As you dry your jewelry, gently polish it with a soft cloth.