How is silver cleaned?

All jewelry needs basic care to look as perfect as the first day. Although they are made with high quality materials, the passage of time can make them not look as bright as at first and even get dirty or dark. For this reason, it is important to follow a cleaning routine and, on this occasion, we will tell you how to clean silver so that it always looks pristine.

Why does silver darken?

One thing to keep in mind is that sterling silver can darken. This is due to the sulfurization process, which occurs when hydrogen sulfide in the air comes into contact with silver jewelry and causes it to change color or darken.

Other reasons why silver can darken are its own composition, an alloy of silver with other metals, and contact with chemical agents such as chlorine or bleach.

It is important to know that, although silver can darken, this is not because the pieces are of poor quality. With the correct care and cleaning routines, this unattractive effect can be avoided and the jewelry will look radiant and pristine. In the next section we show you how to clean silver jewelry when it turns black, write down the tricks!

How to clean silver

There are many home tricks to maintain a basic and routine cleaning of jewelry, but if you want to know how to clean silver jewelry, it is important that you know your jewelry well and differentiate between those that have some type of stone embedded and those that do not. The former will require a little more attention on your part, although in both cases it is necessary to be careful and apply common sense. It is also recommended that if the silver is very blackened or if it is especially delicate pieces, you go to a professional to get a correct cleaning.

The basic cleaning method is soap and water. With a cloth dampened by the mixture of water and soap, the entire jewel will be rubbed until it is pristine. You can also submerge the piece in the mixture of this warm water and soap, rubbing it afterwards with a chamois. In both cases, it must be rinsed with water and, very importantly, the jewel must be perfectly dried with a cloth that does not leave fibers.

Other cleaning methods can also be found online, such as how cleaning silver with baking soda, vinegar, lemon or toothpaste. It is best not to experiment with these methods if you are not sure of the effects they may have on your jewelry. When in doubt, better follow the advice of a professional.

Silver jewelry care

In addition to a good cleaning routine, there are other cares that can be applied to silver jewelry to prevent it from getting dirty or losing its shine.

The first noteworthy care is to store the jewelry correctly. Ideally, when not in use, they should be stored in a jewelery box, preferably individually in their own boxes. This will prevent them from scratching each other.

It is also highly recommended to prevent silver jewelry from coming into contact with cosmetics or perfumes and colognes, so it is recommended that these cosmetics be applied first and the jewelry worn afterwards. Similarly, other chemical agents such as soaps, detergents or cleaning products can also darken the jewelry, so if cleaning tasks are to be carried out, it is better without them or protected with gloves.

The sun and heat can also affect silver jewelry, so if you go to the beach or the pool, it is better to leave them at home or keep them stored. In the same way, it is not recommended to bathe with them, since they can deteriorate with salt water and chlorine, as well as with the sweat of the skin.

Following the correct cleaning guidelines will help your silver jewelry look as perfect as the first day. Don't forget to check out our article on how to clean gold so that your gold jewelry always looks great too!

*This translation has been generated automatically.