Casual in its timeless simplicity or dressed up with more ornate designs, Sterling silver is a versatile metal. It can also tarnish when used or worn frequently. It’s quite easy to clean silver, but here are a few important tips to keep in mind when polishing silver jewelry (especially when set with pearls).
1. Clean Them Frequently: If you wear silver jewelry every day, consider washing it with a mild detergent every evening. This will reduce tarnish buildup and the need for professional silver polish.
2. Use Proper Polish: When your silver rings or pendants develop dark tarnish stains, buy a small jar of silver polish and dampen the enclosed sponge. After dabbing the sponge in the polish, clean your silver in up-and-down strokes (not circular). Rinse under the tap and allow to dry.
3. Toothbrush Cleanse: For jewelry with deep crevices (like John Christian’s monogram rings or posey rings) use a toothbrush to reach the tough places.
In addition, here are some helpful silver tips:
- Avoid wearing silver jewelry in swimming pools, as the chlorine can be damaging.
- Avoid standard detergents and cleaners. Some people use baking soda or toothpaste to clean silver, but it is not recommended.
- Silver polish contains chemicals. Be careful when using around children.