Many people love silver jewelry for its cool, low-key luster and ability to complement nearly any outfit. Yet earrings, bracelets, pendant necklaces and rings start to tarnish with time, developing a dull, dark finish that mars the original appearance.
As silver jewelry continues to grow in popularity, learn the steps you can take to prevent your pieces from tarnishing.
Why Silver Jewelry Tarnishes
Silver jewelry typically starts with sterling silver, an alloy incorporating other metals. Tarnishing occurs when silver gets exposed to the oxygen or sulfur particles naturally present in the air. When this happens, the silver reacts and starts to appear less lustrous.
Multiple factors increase how fast your silver jewelry tarnishes:
- Living in an industrial area with higher sulfate levels
- Living in a coastal region
- Storing your jewelry near plastics, rubber products or cleaning solutions, most of which contain higher concentrations of sulfates
- Keeping your jewelry near hair and beauty products, many of which are formulated with sulfates
- You work in a beauty or nail salon and regularly come in contact with sulfate-based products
- You’ve left some older silver jewelry in the garage, where its routinely exposed to car exhaust
For Daily Use
Be mindful of potential exposures if you regularly wear silver jewelry:
- Believe it or not, the oils from your skin help polish your silver jewelry. As such, pieces receiving regular wear are less likely to tarnish. In particular, you see this with rings.
- Remove your jewelry any time you complete household chores, from washing dishes to cleaning the bathroom or windows.
- Make sure moisturizers and other lotions are properly absorbed before putting on your jewelry. Similarly, style your hair before putting on earrings.
- Avoid keeping jewelry near direct sunlight, as UV exposure accelerates the tarnishing process.
In Storage
Think about how you store silver jewelry pieces relative to common exposure risks:
- Avoid keeping your jewelry in rubber containers and plastic bags
- Avoid areas with moisture and find a dry place for your jewelry box or hanging pieces
- Consider adding silica packets or chalk to remove moisture or store jewelry in anti-tarnish bags
- Make sure your jewelry box is air tight and offers enough space for each piece to limit scratching
- Avoid storing your jewelry in paper bags or cardboard boxes, as these materials contain traces of sulfur
Cleaning Your Silver Jewelry
Get in the habit of routinely cleaning your jewelry. To lessen tarnishing risks with silver:
- Wash your jewelry with a gentle soap and water, possibly using baking soda with a toothbrush to scrub away more stubborn dirt.
- If your jewelry starts to display tarnishing, soak your pieces in one-half cup of white vinegar with two tablespoons of baking soda. After letting them sit for up to three hours, rinse the pieces in lukewarm water before patting dry.
- Go over your jewelry with a polishing cloth designed for sterling silver.
Explore all your possibilities for silver jewelry at Hannoush Jewelers! Browse rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces.
