How to Clean Sterling Silver Jewelry

The safest way to clean sterling silver jewelry is to wash it in warm water with a few drops of mild dish soap, rub it gently with a soft cloth or a very soft toothbrush, rinse, and dry it completely. For light tarnish, a silver polishing cloth finishes the job. Heavier tarnish calls for a silver polish made for jewelry or a baking soda paste. Skip toothpaste, bleach and harsh dips on anything with gemstones, pearls, plating or a dark antique finish, because those are the cases where cleaning does the most damage.

First, know what you are cleaning

Before anything touches the piece, look at it for thirty seconds. The right method depends on what it is.

• Is it solid sterling? Check for a 925, Sterling or Ster mark. Our guide What Is Sterling Silver? And What 925 Means explains the marks. If the piece is plated, polishing can rub the silver layer off.
• Does it have stones? Hard stones such as diamonds, sapphires and most cubic zirconia are generally fine with gentle soap and water. Soft or porous stones are not.
• Is there an intentional dark finish? Oxidized silver has been darkened on purpose to show the design in the recesses. Polishing removes that look.
• Is it antique or sentimental? Old pieces often have a patina that holds some of their character and value, and some are brittle at joints.
• Is there glue, enamel or a hollow construction? Water, heat and ultrasonic cleaners can loosen glued stones and get trapped inside hollow beads.

If you are not sure, start with the gentlest method and stop if you see anything change that you do not like.

The safe method: soap and water

This is the one to use first, every time.

1. Fill a bowl with warm, not hot, water and add a few drops of mild dish soap with no lotion, bleach or citrus additives.
2. Let the piece soak for a few minutes to loosen oils and grime.
3. Use a soft cloth or a baby toothbrush to clean around settings, clasps and chain links.
4. Rinse under lukewarm running water. Close the sink drain first.
5. Pat dry immediately with a soft, lint-free cloth. Do not let it air dry with water droplets sitting on it, since those leave spots.

Soap and water removes the grease and film that make silver look dull, and for many pieces that is all they need.

For light tarnish: a polishing cloth

A silver polishing cloth is treated with a gentle polishing compound. Rub the tarnished areas with the cloth in short strokes and the dark film transfers onto the cloth. Use a clean part of the cloth as it blackens.

Things to keep in mind:

• Rub along the length of a chain rather than across it, so you do not snag links.
• Do not use the cloth on plated pieces unless you want to risk wearing through the coating.
• Keep a separate cloth for silver and do not wash it, because washing removes the polishing agent.
• Do not use it on pieces with an intended oxidized finish, because it will lift the dark areas.

For heavier tarnish: polish or baking soda

When soap and a cloth are not enough, you have two common options.

Silver polish. A liquid or cream silver polish made for jewelry works quickly. Apply a small amount with a soft cloth, rub, rinse well and dry. Read the label: some polishes are not meant for stones or plated pieces. Wear gloves if the product suggests it, and rinse thoroughly, because residue left in crevices can darken again.

Baking soda paste. Mix baking soda with a little water to make a thick paste, apply with a soft cloth or your fingertip, rub gently, rinse and dry. Baking soda is a mild abrasive, so use light pressure, and keep it away from plated, soft-stone or oxidized pieces. It can slowly wear fine detail if used often.

The aluminum foil method

You may have seen the trick with aluminum foil, baking soda and hot water. Line a bowl with foil, place the silver so it touches the foil, add baking soda and hot water, and wait. A chemical reaction transfers the tarnish from the silver to the foil, and the silver brightens.

It works, and it is a reasonable choice for plain sterling chain or a simple band. But use it only on solid silver with no stones, pearls, enamel, glue or antique finish. It strips tarnish everywhere, including the dark recesses that give a design its depth, and it can leave the piece looking flat and bright. It is not a method for jewelry you value for its patina.

What to avoid

Some common home remedies cause more harm than they fix.

Gemstones, pearls and plating

Stones are the main reason cleaning goes wrong, so it is worth a closer look.

• Pearls, opals, turquoise, coral, amber and other organic or porous stones. Do not soak them, do not use polish or dips near them, and do not use ultrasonic cleaning. Wipe them with a barely damp soft cloth and dry at once. Our guide How to Tell if Fine Jewelry and Pearls Are Real explains how delicate pearls are.
• Emeralds and other included stones. They are often treated and can be fragile. Use only a damp cloth and avoid heat.
• Diamonds, sapphires and rubies. These tolerate soap and water well.
• Rhodium-plated sterling. Many sterling pieces are plated to resist tarnish. Polishing removes the plating and makes the piece tarnish unevenly later. Wash with soap and water only.
• Gold-plated or vermeil pieces. Treat them gently. What Is Vermeil Jewelry? explains why the gold layer on sterling is thin and why abrasive polishing damages it.
• Oxidized and antique pieces. Clean them lightly with soap and water and leave the darkness in the recesses.

If a piece mixes several of these, clean to the most delicate element.

How to slow tarnish

Cleaning is only half of the work. Slowing the next round of tarnish saves you effort.

• Wear it. Regular wear keeps the surface lightly buffed by skin and fabric.
• Put it on last and take it off first. Perfume, hairspray, lotion and sunscreen all attack silver, and so does chlorine in pools and hot tubs.
• Take it off before cooking, cleaning and bathing. Sulfur in eggs, onions and some cleaners tarnishes it fast, and soap scum builds up on it.
• Wipe it after wearing. A quick pass with a soft cloth removes skin oils and moisture before they can react.
• Avoid salt water. Rinse and dry silver after the ocean.

How to store sterling silver

Storage matters more than cleaning products. The aim is to limit air and moisture.

• Use small zip-top bags. Press the air out and seal each piece separately so pieces do not scratch each other. A bit of anti-tarnish strip in the bag helps.
• Use anti-tarnish bags or cloth. These are made with materials that absorb sulfur compounds.
• Keep it dry. A dresser drawer or a closet is better than a bathroom. Silica gel packets can help in humid places.
• Keep it away from rubber and wool. Rubber bands, some felt and wool contain sulfur and will darken silver quickly.
• Do not store it loose in a pile. Chains tangle and scratch each other, and harder gems scratch silver.
• Use a lined jewelry box for pieces you wear often. Lining that is made for silver, or a soft pouch, will do.

When to see a jeweler

Take a piece to a professional if:

• It is antique and has a patina you do not want to lose.
• It has loose stones, cracked solder or a bent shank.
• It has pearls, opals or other soft gems and heavy tarnish.
• The tarnish does not budge with gentle methods.
• You are considering selling it, because over-cleaning can lower collector value.

If you are weighing whether a piece is worth professional work, Jewelry Appraisal: What It Is and What It Costs explains what an appraiser looks at, and What Determines the Value of Fine Jewelry covers what drives value.

Seeing it live

If you are buying sterling silver and want to see what its condition really looks like, a live sale lets you ask questions that a photo cannot answer. On ShopBidz, jewelry sellers such as NYC Watches & Diamonds in New York, NY and DeJesusTreasures in Wallingford, Connecticut, sell live, so you can ask whether a piece has been polished, whether it is plated, whether the dark areas are tarnish or intentional oxidation, and whether any stones are original. You will find the vocabulary in our The Live-Auction Glossary: Terms Every Bidder Should Know, and if you plan to resell later, How to Ship Jewelry So It Arrives Safely explains packing.

Common mistakes

• Reaching for toothpaste. It is abrasive, and it can leave fine scratches that dull the piece permanently.
• Dipping everything. Dip solutions are the fastest way to damage pearls, soft stones and oxidized finishes.
• Polishing plated jewelry. Rubbing removes the coating, and the piece will tarnish unevenly.
• Scrubbing hard. Silver is soft. Strong pressure scratches it more than it cleans it.
• Storing it damp. Moisture is what tarnish needs. Dry the piece fully before it goes in a bag or box.

Bottom line

Start with warm water and mild soap, a soft cloth and a thorough dry. Add a polishing cloth for light tarnish, and use polish or baking soda only on plain solid sterling with no stones, plating or intentional dark finish. Avoid toothpaste, bleach and harsh dips. Slow tarnish by wearing the piece, keeping it away from lotions and chlorine, and storing it dry in an airtight bag with an anti-tarnish strip. Leave antique or sentimental pieces to a jeweler.