I use sterling silver very often in my jewelry designs. Although care is needed, sterling is a strong metal that’s quite resistant to scratches (although not scratch-proof) and easy to take care of if you follow a few simple rules. The main concern is tarnishing – and understanding what sterling silver is will help you understand how to handle tarnish.
Sterling Silver
Sterling silver is not 100% silver. Pure silver is a very soft metal; it is therefore combined with another metal, usually copper to increase its strength and durability. By law, sterling silver contains 92.5% copper.
Tarnish
While copper adds hardness to pure silver, it is the metal that causes silver to tarnish--a darkening that occurs when sterling silver reacts with gases in the air and moisture.
Some people find the yellowish early stages of tarnish a lovely patina. If so, wearing your silver often will encourage this look.
Preventing Tarnish
If air and moisture cause tarnish, the best way to prevent tarnish is to keep it away from moisture and humidity.
A very easy way to do this is to store sterling jewelry in an air-tight, sealed plastic bag of mylar or polyethylene. A regular baggie should do the trick.
To further prevent oxidation, keep an anti-tarnish strip in the baggie with the jewelry – just remember to replace it every six months. Don’t have anti-tarnish strips? Try a piece of plain blackboard chalk. And to keep out any humidity, you may want to also include some silica gel.
Alternatively, anti-tarnish cloths or bags can slow tarnish.
Try not to keep your sterling on wood for any extended time – the acids in the wood can also accelerate tarnishing. Also try not to store your silver in or around newspaper or plastic wrap.
Cleaning Sterling and Removing Tarnish
If tarnish does begin, it’s easiest to remove it as early as possible. You may want to consider cleaning your sterling with warm water and a mild phosphate free liquid detergent to remove pollutants. Be sure to dry the piece quickly and thoroughly with a soft cotton cloth.
Lightly polish the silver with a jewelry polishing cloth to remove tarnish – polishing cloths also often have a chemical which will help prevent future tarnishing.
Although home remedies often prescribe toothpaste and/or baking, most jewelers will suggest that they are too harsh.
You may want to try this home-made remedy, however:
~ Place tarnished jewelry in a glass bowl lined with aluminum foil.
~ Add two tablespoons of baking soda and two cups of hot water to cover.
~ Soak the sterling for several minutes.
~ Rinse; if still tarnished, try the process again.
~ When the tarnish is removed, rinse and dry thoroughly with a soft cotton cloth.
Always remove your jewelry before using any product that contains bleach, ammonia, alcohol, fingernail polish removers that contain acetone, and turpentine. Some of these can cause a breakdown in the metal alloys leaving the your jewelry beyond repair and dull or even pit the surface of your gemstones.
Other Tips
~ Put your jewelry on last in the morning – cosmetics, sprays, etc. can affect the metal.
~ Remove jewelry when cleaning, swimming or otherwise around chemicals; Keep away from bleach, acetone, chlorine, hairspray and other cosmetics.
~ Wipe or wash jewelry before storing to remove body oils and any dirt. Do not soak – dry completely with soft cloth.
~ Remove when doing any activity that could stress the metal.
