Does Sterling Silver Tarnish? How to Keep Your Silver Looking New

Nothing showcases your personality and your sense of style better than beautiful jewelry. Unfortunately, that jewelry doesn’t come cheap. In fact, the average household spends about $647 on jewelry and watches each year. But does sterling silver tarnish?

Some metals, like silver, are more affordable than others, but they come with their downsides. Tarnish is one of them.

So, does sterling silver tarnish? Unfortunately, yes. Even the highest-quality silver jewelry can and will tarnish under the right conditions. That doesn’t mean you can’t do something about it.

Here are a few simple things you can do to keep tarnish from becoming a major problem.

Store It the Right Way

Believe it or not, you need to store silver jewelry the right way if you want to prevent tarnish and damage. This means you can’t just leave it out on a dresser or toss it into a drawer when you take it off for the day.

Doing so exposes it to chemicals that encourage the tarnish to build up faster.

Instead, you’ll need to store it in a dry, dark space like an anti-tarnish jewelry box or container. These are often fabric-lined to protect the silver from scratches and reduces the exposure to chemicals that speed up the tarnishing process.

Just make sure that the box or storage container you choose has dividers in place to keep your jewelry from getting scratched. Loose pieces can rub against the finish of your silver and cause scratches across the surface. Even minor scratches can leave your silver looking dull even when it’s properly polished.

Keep It Dry at All Times

Silver is particularly vulnerable to moisture. Though the metal itself won’t get damaged by wet or damp conditions, it will tarnish faster.

The best thing you can do is to keep it dry at all times.

Remove your jewelry before stepping into the shower or hopping in the pool. If you do get the silver wet, take care to dry it as thoroughly as you can. If possible, use a soft hand towel or polishing cloth to dry the surface.

These cloths are non-abrasive and won’t leave residue behind on the silver. If you don’t have access to a soft cloth, use a residue-free paper towel to soak up the moisture.

Clean and Polish It Often

Sterling silver can tarnish quickly, often in as little as a few days in the right conditions. The longer that tarnish is able to build up, the harder it will be to remove. Get in the habit of cleaning and polishing your sterling silver jewelry on a regular basis.

By staying on top of the buildup, you’ll reduce the risk of long-term damage to the silver itself. Even better, you’ll be able to wear it whenever you feel like it without having to spend hours cleaning each piece.

Wear It Regularly

One of the most surprising answers to the question “why does sterling silver tarnish?” is due to lack of wear. When you leave your silver in a jewelry box, it’s left to its own devices and can start to tarnish over time. However, when you wear your jewelry often, you’ll be able to keep it in better condition.

Surprisingly, the oils in your skin can help keep the tarnish from building up. They create a protective layer between the elements and the silver itself.

Further, as the silver rubs against your skin or your clothing, the movement helps power through any tarnish starting to collect on the surface. It won’t be enough to keep you from having to clean your silver jewelry, but it can help you keep it cleaner, longer.

Keep It Out of Direct Sunlight

The sun’s harmful UV rays don’t just hurt your skin. They can also hurt your silver, too.

When left in direct sunlight, silver starts to tarnish faster. This means you’ll have to spend more time cleaning it each month.

Start paying attention to the amount of sun exposure your silver gets. Wearing it outside shouldn’t be a problem, but leaving silver out by a sunny window or setting it on a table outdoors can and will increase the amount of tarnish that collects on the surface.

If you can, store your silver in a dark space away from the sun. If you don’t have a suitable space in your home, invest in a silver cover to protect it from those UV rays.

Use the Right Cleaners

Some cleaners are better than others when it comes to removing tarnish from your favorite silver pieces. Though you can buy a dedicated silver cleaner, you don’t have to.

Instead, look for chemical-free, gentle cleaners that will help remove the buildup without scratching the silver. These include dish soap and water, diluted white vinegar, and even saltwater.

Allow the silver to soak in the cleaning solution for about 10 minutes before rinsing in cool water. Once rinsed, dry the silver with a clean microfiber cloth and polish as normal.

Hold Onto Silica Packets

Many crunchy and crispy foods like cereal, crackers, cookies, and even some pet foods come with silica packets in the packaging. These packets help absorb excess moisture and keep those products dry and crispy while they’re on the shelf.

Use these packets to your advantage and place a few in your jewelry box or beneath silver covers. This will help absorb any moisture around your silver pieces and, over time, can slow the tarnishing process significantly.

If you’re not comfortable reusing silica packets from food products, you can order them online or ask your local jeweler for advice.

So, Does Sterling Silver Tarnish? Yes, but You Can Prevent It!

If you’ve been asking everyone you know “why does sterling silver tarnish and what can I do about it?” you’re not alone.

While silver does tarnish when exposed to moisture and left to sit, you don’t have to learn to cope with cloudy or dirty-looking jewelry. You just need to be proactive about it.

Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be able to keep your silver tarnish-free at all times.

Looking for ways to maintain the rest of your jewelry collection without having to take your pieces to an expensive jeweler? Check out our latest posts.

Adobe Stock royalty-free image #15984407, ‘ring’ uploaded by Yuyu, standard license purchased from https://stock.adobe.com/images/download/15984407; file retrieved on May 20th, 2019. License details available at https://stock.adobe.com/license-terms – image is licensed under the Adobe Stock Standard License

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