Sterling Silver Jewelry Care

Fun fact: even the highest quality 100% sterling silver jewelry can turn dark over time. Stay tuned if you want to know how to prevent it and how to clean your jewelry once it has happened!

Jewelry should be stored in an air-tight container when it's not worn. Air is the biggest reason why silver jewelry turns dark. It is a totally natural oxidation process that can be prevented by placing your jewels inside a ziplock bag, jewelry box or a velvet pouch. Any other container that limits air exposure will work too.

sterling silver jewelry care and maintenance

If your jewelry has already turned dark, there are several ways to clean it. PLEASE NOTE: THESE ARE THE STEPS FOR PURE 925 SILVER JEWELRY ONLY - that means no gems, no mixed mediums (ex. leather), no plated metals!
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Mild stains:

Soak your jewelry in warm water with soap and use a soft cloth. You can also use a toothbrush if your jewelry piece has a lot of texture (ex. Cape Cod Beach Ball Twisted bracelets).

Medium stains:

Use a silver polishing cloth (comes with any jewelry purchase) all over your jewelry piece. It works by physically rubbing oxidization off, as well as dissolving it with the chemicals that the cloth is saturated with.

Sterling Silver polishing cloth that comes with every purchase from Michael's Custom Jewelers on Cape Cod

Heavy stains:

Use a chemical liquid cleaner (can be found in most supermarkets). Please follow the instructions on the package to the letter! If it says to keep jewelry in the cleaner for up to 10 seconds max, it means it. Also, rinse your jewelry well after soaking it - especially if the piece has lots of texture - to avoid skin irritation.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Follow these tips to keep your silver jewelry clean and sparkling! With proper care, your silver will keep you happy for a really long time!

Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments!

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