Storing & Cleaning Your Silver

Once you have purchased your gorgeous item of sterling silver jewelry from SilverBells, you will no doubt want to maintain it to its original appearance as much as possible. I am sure that many of you have other pieces of sterling silver jewelry that have lost their original look and discolored over time. This discoloration, or tarnish is caused by storing your sterling silver in the open air and humidity for extended periods of time. This tarnishing is a natural process that is a chemical reaction in the air called oxidation. It first appears as a golden hue on the sterling silver and progressively turns to black. To reduce tarnish and keep your sterling silver jewelry looking like new for longer periods it is recommended that you store them away when not wearing them.

The good news is that there is an easy way to store your sterling silver jewelry away. It is advised that you keep your pieces wrapped up in tarnish prevention cloths or an air-tight protective bag. 

Prior to storing it, it is recommended that you clean and/or wipe the silver with a soft cloth. Here, it is important that you use a soft 100% cotton cloth or a special sterling silver cleaning cloth. Silver is a comparatively soft metal that is subject to being scratched so you must be careful that you use the correct type of cloth and do not rub too briskly either. Paper, polyester, and coarse fabrics often contain wood fibers or synthetics, that can leave tiny scratches on the surface of the silver.

The best way to keep the tarnish on your sterling silver down to a minimum is to actually wear it! If you wear your sterling silver regularly, your natural body oils help to keep the tarnishing down and cleaning to a minimum. Please avoid using any cleaning solutions on the jewelry you purchase.