How to Clean Silver Jewelry
Silver turns yellow, then brown, then black over time. The good news: tarnish comes off. The trick is using the gentlest method that works, so you don't scratch the silver or ruin a pearl or stone.
Know what you're cleaning
Tarnish is a thin layer of silver sulfide. It forms when silver reacts with sulfur in the air, in skin oils, and in things like rubber bands and some foods. Every time you polish, you remove a tiny bit of silver, so go gentle first.
- Solid sterling silver is usually stamped 925, Sterling or .925 on a clasp or inside a band.
- Silver-plated pieces have only a thin coat of silver over another metal. Rub too hard and the base metal shows through.
- Antiqued (oxidized) pieces are darkened on purpose in the grooves. Don't strip that out.
- Pearls, opal, turquoise, coral and amber are soft or porous. They need special care (see below).
TOOLFind the safest method
FIXClean your silver
Start gentle and only move on if it's still tarnished. The picker above marks which steps suit your piece.
- Fill a bowl (not the sink, so nothing goes down the drain) with warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap.
- Soak for a few minutes, then gently clean with a soft brush, like a soft baby toothbrush or a clean makeup brush. Get behind stones and into the links of chains.
- Rinse in a bowl of clean water and dry right away with a soft, lint-free cloth.
This alone removes the dirt and skin oils that speed up tarnish. Light yellowing may come off with a quick buff afterward.
- Use a cloth made for silver. Most are treated with a mild polish on one side.
- Rub with straight, back-and-forth strokes, not circles, using the treated side. Then buff with the clean side.
- When the cloth turns black, that's tarnish coming off. Move to a clean area.
- On antiqued pieces, polish only the raised parts so the dark grooves stay dark.
Best for light to medium tarnish and for plated pieces: gentle pressure only.
Only for solid silver with no stones, pearls or glued parts. This uses a chemical reaction, not scrubbing: the aluminum pulls sulfur off the silver and turns the tarnish back into silver.
- Line a glass or ceramic bowl with aluminum foil.
- Add about 1 tablespoon of baking soda per cup of very hot water (from a kettle) and stir. It will fizz. Be careful with the hot water.
- Lay the jewelry in the water so it touches the foil. The reaction only works where they touch.
- Wait a few minutes. You may smell sulfur (rotten eggs), and the foil may darken. Turn pieces over with wooden or plastic tongs.
- Lift out, rinse in clean water, dry well, and buff with a polishing cloth. The bath can leave silver looking a little dull or matte.
Don't use this bath on pearls, soft or porous stones, glued settings, plated pieces, or antiqued silver: it can loosen glue, damage stones and strip the dark details.
- Choose a polish made for silver. Don't use general metal polish or anything for brass or chrome.
- Apply a small amount with a soft cloth or sponge, rub gently in straight lines, and rinse or wipe off every trace.
- Work around stones and pearls with a cotton swab so polish doesn't touch them.
- Don't polish often. Each polish removes a thin layer of silver; between polishes, use the cloth.
Avoid toothpaste, baking soda scrubs and scouring pads. They're abrasive and leave fine scratches, and on plated jewelry they can wear through to the base metal.
- Make sure every piece is completely dry, including inside clasps and chain links.
- Store each piece in a small zip-top plastic bag with the air pressed out, or in an anti-tarnish bag or cloth.
- Toss in a silica gel packet or an anti-tarnish strip to soak up moisture and sulfur gases.
- Keep silver away from rubber bands, rubber-backed mats, wool and felt, which give off sulfur.
- Store pieces separately so they don't scratch each other, and keep pearls in a soft pouch, not a sealed bag.
Very old, deep tarnish, pitted spots, or worn-through plating need a professional. A jeweler can clean, polish or replate pieces safely, and check that stones are secure.
AVOIDWhat not to do
No dips on pearls or soft stones
Pearls, opal, turquoise, coral and amber can be harmed by chemicals, heat and soaking. Wipe them with a soft, damp cloth only.
No ultrasonic or steam at home
Ultrasonic cleaners can crack pearls, coral, amber, opal and turquoise, and loosen stones. Ask a jeweler.
No bleach or chlorine
Take silver off before swimming pools, hot tubs and household cleaning. Chlorine can pit and discolor metal.
No hard scrubbing on plated pieces
The silver layer is thin. A gentle cloth is all plated jewelry should get.
No lotions or perfume on pearls
Put jewelry on last, after lotion, hairspray and perfume, and wipe pearls after each wear.
Don't soak glued stones
Water and heat can loosen the glue. Clean around them with a barely damp brush.
FAQCommon questions
Does toothpaste clean silver?
It removes tarnish, but toothpaste is abrasive and leaves fine scratches that make silver look dull and wear it down. A silver polishing cloth is safer.
Why does my silver turn my skin green or black?
Sterling silver is 92.5% silver mixed with other metals, usually copper. Sweat, lotion and skin chemistry react with the metal. Clean the piece, keep it dry, and wipe it after wearing.
Is the foil bath safe for all silver?
It's gentle on solid silver because nothing is scrubbed off, but don't use it on pearls, stones, glued parts, plated pieces or antiqued designs. It can also leave a matte look that needs a quick buff afterward.
How often should I clean silver jewelry?
Wipe pieces with a soft cloth after wearing and wash them with mild soap now and then. Save polishing for when you actually see tarnish.
How do I clean a pearl and silver necklace?
Wipe the pearls with a soft cloth dampened in warm, mildly soapy water, then lay the strand flat on a towel to dry, since wet silk thread can stretch. Polish the silver clasp gently with a cloth, keeping it off the pearls.