Nothing is worse than picking up a beautiful piece of silver jewelry and seeing that it’s become dull or blackened. Tarnish and Sterling Silver go hand in hand, but all it takes is a little bit of extra care to keep your jewelry in top shape. Following our storage tips can go a long way in helping to reduce how badly your pieces will tarnish, but sometimes it happens. If you find yourself with a piece of jewelry that’s gone dull or black we recommend the following ways to get your shine back.

 

First Up - Is Tarnish just Dirt?

Tarnish is actually a chemical reaction of the sulphur compounds in the air with the silver surface. . Other substances like hairspray, make up and even your natural body oils can contribute to a piece’s tarnish so it’ll take a little more than just a wipe off to get your pieces back to normal.

So, What Can you Do?

The Silver Cleaning Cloth

The easiest way to shine up your lightly tarnished sterling silver jewelry is to invest in a silver cleaning cloth. All it takes is a gentle rub across your pieces to help restore them to their best self. Keep them around for quick touch ups so your pieces always shine.

Warm Soapy Water

Sometimes you need a little more than just a light polish. Enter Warm Soapy Water. Mix a few drops of dishwashing liquid (phosphate and ammonia free please!) with warm water and rub the piece with a soft micro-fiber cloth until the shine is restored.

Warm Water and Vinegar

If your tarnished piece is being a little stubborn you can always use a soft bristled tooth brush to gently rub the piece with a solution made of equal parts white vinegar and water until the tarnish is gone. Alternately, you can soak the piece in the solution for a few minutes before you brush or rub it.

 

Remember to dry your sterling silver pieces thoroughly before giving them a light finishing polish with your silver cleaning cloth and putting them away.