How to Prevent Your Sterling Silver Jewelry from Tarnishing

Everyone loves to include sterling silver in their jewelry boxes, considering the chic and versatile metal comes with quite a wallet-friendly price tag. However, some neglect, as well as the general nature of sterling silver, makes it easy for the precious metal to tarnish or lose its luster over time.

Air pollution, high humidity levels, harsh chemicals, and even body oils can cause oxidative reactions leading to the luscious silver tone turning to a dull red, brown, or copper color. Tarnishing makes the pieces appear dirty or darkened and can weaken and disfigure the jewelry.

We know you want to ensure all your jewelry pieces remain good as new. Storing each piece properly and maintaining sterling silver jewelry is the key to keeping it lustrous for longer.

Professionals at Gold to Cash receive all kinds of gold and silver coins, bullion, and jewelry from those who want to sell their jewelry online. Let’s explore some insights into how they’ve kept all items gleaming over the years.

But First, What Causes Sterling Silver Jewelry to Tarnish?

Silver is the primary metal in sterling silver, but pure silver is too soft and cannot be used to make everyday wear jewelry on its own. As an alloyed metal, sterling silver comprises around 92.5% pure silver, which is malleable and affordable, along with 7.5% hard metals such as nickel or copper, making it more durable than its pure silver counterpart.

However, copper can easily react with our body’s chemicals or sulfur and salt in the air, causing sterling silver to tarnish. Moisture also accelerates the formation of tarnish.

With intricately designed sterling silver jewelry, the nooks and crannies easily tarnish, leading to rust that can cause the metal to chip or corrode. However, copper keeps sterling silver jewelry away from rust. But it oxidizes, causing it to turn green. Interestingly, that’s why the Statue of Liberty turned green. 

Helpful Tips to Keep Sterling Silver from Tarnishing

#1- Avoid Direct Sunlight

While it may be tempting to don your sterling silver jewelry on a sunny day, keeping it out of the sunlight helps prevent tarnishing. Bright light makes it seem as if the shine has improved momentarily, but the metal alloy is known to maintain its color when kept in the dark and cool environments. Of course, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wear it outdoors. But avoid keeping it in direct sunlight for extended periods.

#2- Protect it From Moisture

Humidity, sweat, water, or any type of moisture eats away the luster of sterling silver jewelry like no other! Store each piece properly in containers or slips to protect them from damage or scratches.

Use chalk, anti-tarnish slips, or silica gel packs in zip-lock or air-tight backs and keep it in a cool and dark place to protect it from heat, moisture, and sunlight, all of which accelerate the tarnishing process.

Make sure every piece is stored individually to prevent tangling or other types of damage. Don’t store in cotton-filled boxes, cardboard, or paper boxes because they contain Sulphur traces which can contribute to tarnishing. Additionally, make sure the bags you choose as containers don’t contain polythene, as that’s abrasive and may also lead to damage.

#3- Remove It before Touching Harsh Chemicals

Sterling silver doesn’t react well with most common household cleaning products. Whether you’re cleaning windows and mirrors, spraying countertops, doing the dishes, or completing any household chores, play it safe by removing the jewelry so it doesn’t potentially damage or add tarnish to the pieces. 

#4- Clean and Polish Each Piece Upon the First Sign of Tarnishing

Use a lint-free, soft cloth to remove debris and tarnish from your sterling silver jewelry. Make sure to clean it thoroughly frequently without waiting to see the signs of tarnish. But avoid using any abrasive cleaners that can damage the pieces. Routine maintenance helps keep the jewelry new, and some mild polish helps restore its shine, keeping it in good shape for longer. 

#5- Follow the ‘First to Take Off, Last to Put on Policy’

Remove your jewelry before touching any beauty or skincare and haircare products that may contain harsh chemicals. From hairspray to perfumes, moisturizers, cleansers, and more, many products have chemicals that can cause buildup or accelerate the tarnishing of your jewelry.

Always do your full skincare or makeup routine and put on the pieces on the last step. By saving the jewelry for last, you can ensure the chemicals don’t rest on the pieces for longer.

Also, remember to take your sterling silver jewelry off before showering or swimming. Chemicals used to treat water can also cause damage to your beloved pieces.

#6- Wear it Often

Many people assume wearing their favorite sterling silver jewelry pieces more often would cause them to tarnish faster. Interestingly, the opposite is true. Wearing the pieces throughout the day exposes them to oils on our skin, contributing to their luster. The process helps counter tarnishing when you keep unused jewelry in the box.

While high-quality and properly maintained sterling silver jewelry tends to last for decades, why keep it boxed when you can sell your jewelry online to get more bang for your buck during tough times? If you’re looking for the best place to sell your gold and silver jewelry online, you’re in the right place!

Rather than searching for the best place to sell silver or gold near you, send it to esteemed gold and silver buyers like Gold to Cash via FedEx for a quick appraisal! We’re the top-rated online gold and silver buyers in the United States for a reason. Well, many reasons.

When you turn to us to sell your gold online, you can expect an extremely transparent process in terms of how we evaluate your precious metals. Our team of experienced gemologists appraises all coins, bullion, and jewelry for free and provides a detailed report regarding things like the difference between precious metal weight and the total weight of the precious metals or anything else you need to know before you decide to convert gold to cash.

We’ve mentioned the criteria our experts use on the website, but we encourage customers to connect with us for any questions or concerns concerning the process we use when we buy gold from you.

What’s more, the entire shipping process is swift and insured! And if you don’t like the terms in our detailed offer, get your items back free of cost. We guarantee price matching—if you find a better offer, we’ll raise ours to match it after verification.

Request a free appraisal kit now so our team can help you sell your gold and silver jewelry online at the best price!