Silver Jewelry Care

Silver, when properly maintained, will yield generations of enjoyment. Be sure to store the silver jewelry in a cool, dry place individually in pouches to keep them from environmental harm. But if the silver item always becomes tarnished, as there are chances it'll happen no matter how careful one is. Just use a polish solution or a polishing cloth to clean the piece.

With proper care, fine quality silver will last a lifetime. To minimize scratches and other damage, one must store silver jewelry either in a cloth pouch or in a separate compartment in the jewelry box. Exposing silver jewelry to household chemicals must be avoided, when cleaning with bleach or ammonia, or when swimming in chlorinated water, as these chemicals can damage silver.

Care should also be taken to prevent silver tarnish build-up, a dulling that naturally occurs when silver reacts with sulfur or hydrogen sulfide in the ambient air. To clean the silver, polishes formulated specifically to remove tarnish are used. One can find fine silver polishes, solutions, or cloths appropriate to remove tarnish at most hardware stores or specialty craft stores.

Tarnish is most easily removed when it first becomes visible. Although wearing the silver jewelry often is the best way to prevent tarnish from building up, regular cleanings of all the silver items will prevent tarnish and keep the silver bright and sparkling. Silver is the most reflective out of all precious metals, so jewelry crafted out of silver must be kept beautifully.