DIY : How to Clean 925 Sterling Silver Ring or Bracelet at Home ?

We all have pieces of jewelry lying around or that we wear everyday but have neglected taking care of it. In order to keep your jewelry in its perfect silver state you must clean it and regularly take care of it. There are special products that you can buy in the store but they can be expensive and sometimes harsh, you may only need this in the toughest of tarnish situations. The best thing about silver is that it can be cleaned up using general household items and products, and we are here to find out which ones work.

We will show you 10 different ways in which you can clean your silver using only products that you already have at home.

First of all you should know…

What is tarnish?

Tarnish is a thin layer of corrosion that quickly forms over your silver jewelry, resulting in the formation of a dark coating that is undesirable to look at. Tarnish is basically the dulling of silver that typically occurs as a chemical reaction with hydrogen sulfide or sulfur present in the atmosphere. In most cases, some believe that the tarnish is caused by oxidation but it is not true since silver is not reactive to water or oxygen at average temperatures. Nevertheless, the metal in the alloy such as copper does tend to react with oxygen.

This is why silver is generally stored in air-restricted spaces – although since most jewelry boxes and cabinets are not airtight it still allows for the tarnishing process, just at a slower pace. In addition to the air, your silver jewelry may very well react with you skins alkaline levels. The presence of Sulphur and amino acids that can be found in perspiration can cause discoloration to your skin and jewelry. Cleaning the jewelry regularly helps to avoid this type of discoloration.

What are the home products to clean Sterling Silver Ring and Jewelry ?

We are going to show you 10 different recommended products / techniques to clean your Sterling Silver Ring or Bracelet.

Baking Soda and Aluminum Foil

Add boiling water and baking soda to a bowl layered with aluminum foil. Remove after 1-3 minutes, rinse under cool water and rub dry with a soft cloth.
This process causes a chemical reaction that removes tarnish from the silver within second or minutes.

These are the things you will need:

• A soup bowl (any vessel of size that you need for the items you are de-tarnishing)
• Aluminum foil
• Boiling water
• 1 tablespoon of baking soda for each cup of water
• Spoon/kitchen tongs
• A dry cleaning cloth

Here is a step by step of how to work this amazing technique:

1. Bring the water to a boil – it should be enough water to reach the top of the bowl
2. Take your soup bowl/vessel and line it with aluminum foil, shiny side up
3. Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda with each cup of water into the bowl and be prepared that the solution will bubble.
4. Instantly place the silver jewelry in the dish, it can be one or more pieces as long as it fits in the bowl. Ensure that the jewelry is touching the aluminum foil – this is an essential part of the process for the chemical reaction to occur
5. Leave in the solution for 2-5 minutes. If the level of tarnishing is really bad then you can leave it in up to 10 minutes.
6. Remove the jewelry with a pair of kitchen tongs or a spoon. Rinse under cool water. You may then shine it with the dry cleaning cloth. Prepare to be amazed!

Lemon and Salt Bath

Squeeze a lemon into a bowl with 3 tablespoons of salt and hot water and placed the tarnished bracelet to rest in there for 5 minutes. Remove and rub with soft cloth.

Toothpaste

Take a pea sized amount of toothpaste on a dish and rub into the silver using a dish washing sponge. Rinse in warm water.

Coca Cola

Pour some coca cola into a bowl and soak the jewelry in it for 10 minutes – remove and rub with a cloth.

Window Cleaner

Spray the window cleaner onto a soft cloth and rub silver.

Beer

Pour a cup of beer into a bowl and soak the jewelry in there for 5-10 minutes. Remove and rub clean with a cloth.

Ketchup

Squeeze a small amount of ketchup onto a toothbrush and rub into the silver.

Vinegar

Soak the jewelry in a bowl of vinegar, then dip the cloth and rub the jewelry with the cloth.

Vodka

Pour a cup of vodka into a bowl and soak the silver jewerly for 5 minutes. Dip a cloth into the vodka, remove jewelry and rub with cloth.

Laundry Detergent

Pour one small cup of detergent into a bowl of hot water and place the silver jewelry inside. Leave for 5 minutes, remove and rub with a soft cloth.

Prevention of tarnishing

Are you wondering if there is prevention to the cause of tarnishing? Well there are some steps you can take to help avoid the chemical reaction that causes this corrosive layer on your silver jewelry.

• Gently rub a small amount of conditioner into the material and blend with a soft cloth. This polishes the silver and protects it.
• Place some chalk into the box or drawer of where your jewelry is stored. Chalk absorbs the moisture in the air, essentially stalling the Sulphur components from reaching the silver.
• You should make an effort to regularly clean your jewelry – regular cleaning protects it from discoloration.
• Try not to swim in chlorinated pools or clean using bleach or ammonia containing products, while wearing your silver jewelry.

Summary

To summarize, there are two single fantastic methods to cleaning silver jewelry, which are using baking soda with Aluminum foil and the other being a silver cleaning solution.

We also suggest a white ‘silver cleaning’ cloth wich is one of the best instruments that you could have in possession for cleaning your silver products.

You can purchase a white ‘Silver Cleaning’ cloth from a silver selling store, cobblers or online stores.