Care and Cleaning of Silver Jewelry

CARE AND CLEANING OF SILVER

Whether your silver is what you wear, is on your saddle or bridle, in your kitchen drawer or stored safely in a box, before you clean your silver, KNOW your metal. Each type of “silver” is cleaned using a different method.

The United States has three basic metal alloys we know as “silver:”

Sterling silver has that designation only if it contains at least 92.5% silver, which tarnishes over time and requires a regular polish to restore the luster. The designation of “sterling” is a government standard.

German silver is the least expensive of the three due to the nickel alloys, and is a trade name and term that German silversmiths of years ago used. It has also been called “nickel silver.” It tarnishes more quickly than sterling silver; thus needs to be cleaned more often.

Silver plate is coated or “plated” over a base metal of copper, brass or bronze with lacquer, which will yellow over time. The silversmiths determine which metal is best depending on the planned use of the finished product. Montana Silversmiths has perfected a product they claim is 64 times more wear-resistant than lacquer because the substance is so durable so guarantees its silver plate for life. The standard for silver plate is 99.9% pure silver.

Linda Cobb, the Queen of Clean, shared with DIY (do it yourself projects) Network offers these steps to clean Sterling Silver Jewelry:

Use common sense. THIS IS NOT FOR PIECES WITH STONES IN THEM. Don’t soak the jewelry for an extended period of time in water. ASK YOUR JEWELER for advice when in doubt.
Lay a sheet of aluminum foil, shiny side up, in a heat-proof container. Lay the jewelry in the container on the foil. It is critical that each piece of jewelry touches the foil; thus, DO NOT place jewelry pieces on top of each other.
Pour boiling water over the jewelry and immediately add two tablespoons of baking soda and one tablespoon of salt.
Allow the jewelry to soak for a few minutes and remove the jewelry using tongs due to the temperature of the water.
Rinse the silver in cold water and buff each piece with a soft, cotton cloth. Using other fabric to polish may damage jewelry and if there is any dirt on the jewelry, it can scratch the jewelry. Use straight, direct strokes because a circular motion is more likely to scratch.
The eHow Fashion, Style & Personal Care Editor offers the following:

Baking soda and toothpaste can polish jewelry, but is not recommended. Use a special, trusted sterling silver cleaner. You can substitute the specialized sterling silver cleaner with home products; combine one-half cup warm water and a small amount of liquid detergent. Feel free to use a SOFT brush to apply the cleaner and to scrub areas that are hard to reach. Always pour the cleaner on the cloth or brush rather than directly on the jewelry.
Once dry, store your jewelry in an air-tight plastic bag. The air-tight bag prevents sulfur from tarnishing the jewelry. If you want to store your jewelry in a velvet-lined jewelry box, keep it away from other metals.
JEWELRY IS TO BE WORN AND ENJOYED!! Body oils help prevent tarnishing.

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