How to Prevent Silver Jewelry from Tarnishing

Posted on Wednesday, March 21st, 2018 in Guides, Informational, Ring Care.


sterling silver studs

Every once in a while you may notice your silver jewelry starting to lose some of its original luster or beginning to take on a dark or yellowish color. This tarnishing process occurs when air or certain chemicals come into contact with silver (or more accurately the other metals, such as copper, commonly used in silver jewelry). While some people like this tarnished look, others prefer that their silver jewelry appear bright and shiny at all times. If you’re one of these people, you may not be able to completely prevent your silver jewelry from tarnishing, but there are certain steps you can take to help delay the tarnishing process.

  • Wear your silver jewelry often. This is one of the best ways to minimize tarnishing. We’ve noticed that the silver jewelry we wear frequently doesn’t tarnish as much as some of the pieces we haven’t worn in a while. When wearing your jewelry, you’re most likely rubbing it against your skin, clothes, or any objects you come into contact with. Because of this, tarnish isn’t able to build up over time and discolor or dull your jewelry.
  • Even though it helps to wear your silver jewelry often, you shouldn’t wear your pieces all the time. Certain activities can affect the finish of your jewelry and lead to tarnishing. These activities include showering, exercising, swimming, cleaning the house, and cooking. This is why we usually recommend taking all your jewelry off whenever you’re at home.
  • Have your silver jewelry plated with rhodium. Commonly used on white gold rings, rhodium will prevent your silver jewelry from tarnishing and also preserve it for a longer period of time. However, it’s important to note that the layer of rhodium will eventually wear off over time and may need to be re-plated every few years.
  • Use anti-tarnishing cloths or strips to clean your silver jewelry before storing it for an extended period of time. These materials will remove moisture, dirt, and oil from your silver jewelry since these can all accelerate the tarnishing process.
  • When not wearing your silver jewelry, store it in a cool place with minimal air exposure, humidity, and sunlight. Air circulation, higher temperatures, elevated humidity levels, and exposure to bright light are all known to increase the rate at which tarnish develops, so minimizing these factors can help delay the tarnishing process.
  • When storing your silver jewelry, place chalk or silica packs next to your pieces. Both of these items can absorb any excess moisture or chemicals in the air, thus helping to eliminate any tarnish on your jewelry.

So what happens when your silver jewelry begins to tarnish? Well, the good news is it’s very easy to remove. Just use a polishing cloth or dip your jewelry in silver cleaner to remove any tarnish buildup. If you don’t have either of these at your disposal, bring your silver jewelry into Kloiber Jewelers or your go-to local jewelry store and they’d be more than happy to assist you with getting your jewelry looking like new again.

tarnished silver bracelet

Tarnished Silver Bracelet

non tarnished silver bracelet

Non-Tarnished Silver Bracelet