Silver Care

Preventing Tarnish & Storing Your Sterling Silver Jewelry:

What causes tarnish: Humidity and chemicals in the air cause silver to tarnish. The most common tarnish causing elements are food (onions, eggs, mayonaisse, salad dressing, salty foods) salt, wool, felt, rubber bands, latex gloves, carpet padding, sulfur in the air, oily residue from our hands and fingers. When taking your jewelry off, always wipe with a soft cloth to remove residue build up from the day.

Storing your silver jewelry: silver jewelry should be worn as much as possible to prevent tarnishing. When not in wear, store your jewelry with a paper Anti-tarnish strip in your jewelry box or an air tight container such as a zip lock bag. You may need to occasionally wash the piece in warm water with a phosphate-free detergent, then dry with a soft cotton cloth (preferably polishing cloth). Remember to apply your hairspray and perfume BEFORE putting on any jewelry. Forgetting to do so will dull the finish and/or increase instance of tarnishing.

How to clean:

1. If there is no tarnish on your silver, use a phosphate-free detergent to clean it after use. Silver that is used, then gently washed and dried immediately, will require seldom tarnish removal.

2. When first noticed (usually a yellowish-brownish tint), tarnish is easily removed. It becomes increasingly difficult to remove as it eventually turns to black. Frequent light cleanings, (washing the object with a phosphate-free detergent), then drying with a soft cloth is better than waiting until the tarnish gets so difficult to remove that more abrasive polishes would be needed.

3. When polishing or drying always use a clean, soft cotton cloth. Certain items may require a clean soft cotton ball.

4. Rub the object in a straight, back-an-forth manner so to maintain a uniform appearance. Avoid rubbing in a circular motion.

We offer a safe cleaning cloth for your jewelry as well as a chemical cleaner to help maintain the finish that makes the sterling silver jewelry so beautiful.