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Silver Jewelry Care And Cleaning
Q: Why does my silver jewelry tarnish?
A: Silver jewelry that is worn on a regular basis usually does not tarnish. The interactions of silver jewelry with certain elements such as oxygen or sulfur cause tarnish as a product of oxidation. Prolonged storage can cause silver jewelry to tarnish. Contact with rubber bands may cause tarnish because the sulfur in rubber is a catalyst for tarnish. Taking a medication that changes the acidity of your skin may cause silver jewelry to tarnish when you wear it.
Q: What is TARNISH?
A: Tarnish is when silver gradually darkens as it combines with sulfur and forms silver sulfide on the surface. To return your silver to its former beauty, the sulfide on the surface must be removed.
Sulfur comes from the air and is usually denser in industrial areas or the city where there is a lot of traffic.
Sterling silver is 92.5% silver and 7.5% another metal, usually copper. Silver itself does not react with oxygen or water at ordinary temperatures but it is the other metal which may react and cause sterling silver to “oxidize.”
Q: How can I keep my silver from tarnishing?
A: To keep your silver tarnish-free, store it in a dry container or a plastic bag with anti-tarnish paper. To keep tarnish from accumulating, clean your silver in mild dilution of dishwashing liquid and water after use. Be sure to thoroughly dry your silver jewelry after exposure to water.
Other Tarnish Prevention Strategies:
-Zip loc bags, Anti tarnish cloths, avoid humidity
-To slow down the tarnishing process, store your Sterling Silver Jewelry in an airtight bag or in a jewelry box lined with anti tarnish cloth. Anti tarnish cloths are tarnish preventing fabrics that keep silver clean, bright and shining. The cloth is embedded with thousands of tiny silver particles, which absorb tarnish producing gases before they reach your silver. Keep this cloth with your sterling silver and you will rarely need to polish again
-Avoid leaving silver in humid areas such as the bathroom. Swimming and bathing may cause permanent damage to your jewelry as well as contact with chemicals, cosmetics, and hairspray.
Links:
Caring for Pearl Jewelry