Diamond & Jewelry News, Advice and Prices for Consumers
Diamond & Jewelry News, Advice and Prices for Consumers
June 19, 2010
I would love to learn about some home-made cleaning methods that could be effective on cleaning and polishing different type of silver jewelry.
June 24, 2010
In general, I would warn against cleaning your silver jewelry with household detergents since silver can tarnish and damage quite easily. Using household detergent with various acids or sulfuric chemicals can strip the silver right off of your jewelry. Also, avoid using rough cloth such as paper and wool to polish your silver jewelry, since silver is quite malleable and can scratch and dent. If you insist on cleaning your silver jewelry at home, rather than taking it to your local jewelers and having it professionally cleaned, then I suggest using a soft bristled brush (like a baby's brush) to smear mild toothpaste onto your silver jewelry. The soft bristles won't scratch your jewelry and the toothpaste holds no sulfuric acids, so it is a relatively safe way of cleaning your silver jewelry. You could also try rinsing your silver jewelry in warm, soapy water, and then rubbing it dry with a very soft (preferably 100% cotton) cloth. Just make sure that the silver jewelry is completely dry before storing it away, since humidity can cause it to tarnish. Home remedies can be tricky when cleaning silver jewelry. It would be safer for you to use silver polish or silver cleaning products (just make sure they are specifically for silver, and not for gold or steel).
