Tarnish Troubles: Your Easy Guide to Silver Care

If you're the proud owner of one of my handcrafted silver pieces (or you've got your eye on one!) I'm sure you'll want to know how to keep that lovely shine. I’ve summarised a few short points here and provide care cards with every purchase, but this blog goes into much more detail, providing a more comprehensive, yet easy to follow, guide to caring for your silver treasures.

So let’s go….

Understanding Silver Tarnish

Ever wondered why your once beautiful silver jewellery starts to look a little grubby? That's the work of tarnish, a natural chemical reaction with sulphur compounds present naturally in the air around us. These sulphur compounds cause a surface level chemical change, and this is what we see as that dull, sometimes dark, layer we call tarnish.

Heavily Tarnished Sterling Silver Bracelet

To help understand tarnishing, it helps to understand what your piece of jewellery is actually made of. Sterling silver isn't actually pure silver; it's an alloy, meaning it has a mixture of silver with other metals. Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver, which is the purest form of silver available. Sterling silver, on the other hand, is an alloy containing 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals, most commonly copper. Sterling is most commonly used in jewellery for its increased durability, as pure silver is incredibly soft; however, the copper within is a key culprit for tarnishing.

Tarnish Triggers

While tarnish is a natural and expected process, there isn’t a hard or fast rule at the rate this will happen, and in fact, some things can encourage it to happen much more quickly. These are tarnish accelerators that your silver will likely encounter in everyday life:

• YOU!: Yup, that’s right, you! Our skin produces oils and sweat, which can contain compounds that react with silver. Some people's body chemistry can unfortunately lead to faster tarnishing than others will. But don’t take it personally... it's just science!

• Lotions and Potions: A number of common products, like lotions, perfumes, and hairsprays, can contain chemicals that don't play nicely with silver. It's always a good idea to put on your jewellery after you've applied these.

• Cleaning products: Certain household cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that can react with silver and accelerate tarnishing (and potentially damage it!). Always remove your silver before using these.

• The air you breathe: As mentioned above, sulphur in the air is a big one. If you live in an area with higher levels of air pollution, you might notice your silver tarnishing a bit faster.

• Water: Yup, even water! Prolonged exposure to water, especially chlorinated swimming pool water or salty seawater, can also speed up tarnish. It's best to take off your silver before taking a dip.

  
  

PIeces of jewellery after Liver of Sulphur and with fresh patina

Oxidised Silver

Tarnish isn’t all bad – I’m actually a big fan, as I actually make use of this process a lot in my work, and many of my pieces feature intentional dark accents. This is achieved through chemicals such as Liver of Sulphur, which oxidise with the silver to create a ‘patina’ layer on the surface. This is essentially an accelerated tarnish effect that darkens the silver surface, highlighting the textures and details I use in my work. It's a key part of the design and what gives those pieces their unique character.

Easy Peasy Cleaning Methods

Now, let's talk about how to bring back that beautiful shine. You don't need a cabinet full of harsh chemicals. Often, the gentlest methods are the most effective.

Light cleaning

Silver polishing cloth provided with JPC orders

First and foremost, a polishing cloth is your best friend, and I include it as standard with the majority of jewellery purchases. It is a special cloth that has been impregnated with polishing agents that gently buff the silver; it's perfect for tackling light to medium tarnish and bringing back the shine.

Simply take the cloth and gently rub the surface of your silver piece. You'll often see the tarnish transferring to the cloth, revealing the brighter silver underneath. Regular use of this cloth can make a big difference in keeping your silver looking its best. Although small, the cloth is reusable and designed to last a long while, so can be used again and again, as long as it is not washed. I also have more available for purchase should you need an additional one over time.

Heavier Cleaning

For silver pieces with a bit more noticeable dullness, you can turn to a solution of mild, lukewarm soapy water. Choose a gentle washing up liquid without any harsh additives. Using a soft cloth or a very soft brush (like a baby toothbrush), gently wash the silver. Be sure to rinse it thoroughly under clean, lukewarm water to remove any soap residue. The crucial step here is drying. Always, always dry your silver completely with a separate, soft, lint-free cloth. Leaving it to air dry can lead to water spots, which can also dull the finish.

Note: If your piece has gemstones, I would recommend avoiding this heavier cleaning unless you understand the specific needs of the gemstones – see the gemstone section below.

Top Tip: Little and often is the best approach – After wearing your silver, give it a quick wipe with your polishing cloth before storing it. This simple habit can significantly slow down the tarnishing process.

Caring for Oxidised Silver vs Shiny Silver

Silver Pendant with oxidised design

Although the two practices above are useful for silver generally, it’s helpful to recognise the difference between caring for shiny and oxidised silver. When caring for oxidised silver, you may actually want to retain that patina, and so less is more. Avoid using harsh silver polishes or vigorously rubbing the darkened areas, as this can inadvertently remove the oxidation, changing the intended look of the piece.

For general cleaning, a very gentle wipe with a soft, non-abrasive cloth is usually sufficient. If the non-oxidised parts need a bit of a shine-up, you can carefully use your polishing cloth on those areas, being mindful of the oxidised sections.

Silver with Gemstones

Silver oxidised pendant with turquoise gemstone

I’ll likely cover another blog on the differences between gemstones at another point, but special care needs to be taken for those beautiful pieces that incorporate gemstones. Gemstones vary in hardness, and some softer stones such as opals and turquoise can be quite delicate and susceptible to damage from harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaning methods.

When cleaning silver that features gemstones, the safest approach is usually to gently wipe the metal parts with your polishing cloth and to clean the stones themselves with a soft, slightly damp cloth. Avoid any application of silver cleaners onto the gemstones, as these chemicals can sometimes dull or even damage certain types of stones. If you're ever unsure about the best way to care for a specific piece with gemstones, feel free to ask me for guidance!

Storage is Your Friend

How you store your silver when you're not wearing it also plays a significant role in preventing tarnish. Exposure to air is the primary culprit, so minimising this exposure is key.

Generally, storing your silver in individual, airtight zip-lock bags or anti-tarnish pouches is the best practice. These help to create a barrier against the air and the naturally occurring sulphur compounds. If you have a jewellery box, consider using dividers to keep silver pieces separate to prevent scratching and to further limit air exposure. You can also find anti-tarnish strips or cloths that you can place in your storage to absorb sulphur and other pollutants.

When Extra Help is Needed

Life happens, and sometimes your silver might need a bit more than a gentle wipe, or it may have gemstones you aren’t sure that you can clean around. If you're facing heavily tarnished pieces that aren't responding to your efforts, or if you've encountered a mishap like a broken chain, don't worry!

As the maker, I'm also here to help with the upkeep of my creations. I offer deep polishing services to bring back that original, brilliant shine to even the most stubbornly tarnished silver. Additionally, I can often repair minor damages like broken chains, ensuring your beloved pieces remain wearable. If your silver is looking a little worse for wear, or if it needs a professional touch-up, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I absolutely want to help you enjoy your silver for years to come.

I hope this detailed blog helps you keep your silver looking its absolute best, and that with a little care, your silver pieces can remain beautiful for generations.

If you ever have any questions or if your silver needs some professional attention, you know where to find me.