Whatever form your sterling silver is in – antiques, fine jewelry, engraved gift items or tableware – pure sterling silver which is softer than most other metals needs to be properly taken care of and cleaned regularly to maintain its luster and brilliance. As it is soft and delicate, while handling and cleaning sterling silver some precautionary measures must be taken so that its texture and composition does not get damaged. Here are some care and cleaning tips for sterling silver.
Fortunately caring and cleaning of sterling silver is quite easy and all you need to do is store it properly and clean it regularly to prevent the ugly tarnish. To prevent oxidation that causes the tarnish all items made from this metal need to be stored properly. In case of fine jewelry to prevent the items from getting scratched, they must be stored in their individual boxes or pouches. They should be stored in a cool and dry place. They should not be kept for long periods in the bathroom as the moisture will affect its brilliance.
If possible keep your sterling silver jewelry in tarnish resistant boxes. If you are planning to store your jewelry for long periods of time keep them in sealed plastic bags or boxes to prevent oxidation and exposure to humidity. After cleaning, your sterling silver antiques should be wrapped individually, with clean cotton cloth, buffered and acid free tissue paper, linen or silver cloths and stored in air tight bags or boxes. Avoid using newspaper, felt, chamois leather or wool for wrapping as these can tarnish the antique sterling silver extensively. Some specially made papers and cloths treated with silver salts or activated carbon are also available that can prevent tarnishing.
If you are planning to put your antique silver collection on display then do so in a wooden cabinet that is glass enclosed. Be sure that the wood is varnished as unvarnished wood may emit vapors that can cause tarnishing of your antiques. Shelves made of only glass are quite suitable but should be strong enough to bear the weight of your sterling silver antiques. Make sure that they are reinforced suitably.
To prevent tarnishing a few camphor pieces can be put inside the display shelves but make sure that they are not in direct contact with the antique items displayed. Sulfides contained in felt, velvet and wool can tarnish the silver items, so avoid putting them over these for display. Sunlight speeds up the chemical processes that harm silver, so avoid keeping your displays in the path of direct sunlight.
With the passage of time, from regular use, sterling silver jewelry becomes dull and loses its luster due to the buildup of makeup residue, skin oils, and grime. Although liquid chemical jewelry cleaners are available in jewelry stores, their regular use can cause the jewelry to become discolored. It is safer to wipe the jewelry with polishing cloth available in fine jewelry stores. However any soft cloth can do the job as well. The jewelry is polished by gently wiping it with the soft cloth.
Coarse fiber material like paper and polyester should be avoided as these can cause scratching. Wipe the jewelry as often as necessary to maintain its shine. They must be thoroughly cleaned before putting them away in storage for long periods. For deeper tarnishing of jewelry soak a soft cloth in a mild detergent solution and gently rub the surface, then rinse with clean water and finally air dry it. It is advisable to use clean gloves, preferably white, while doing the job.
Sterling silver antiques and gift items must be cleaned first and then given a fine polish before putting them on display or soring them. For cleaning you will need a pure cotton cloth, a flannel cloth, special silver cleaning cloth and a soft brush or a baby toothbrush. As the metal is soft, it needs to be rubbed gently for cleaning and polishing, to avoid scratches. The cleaning materials used must be cleaned prior to using them as any leftover dirt from earlier cleanings may damage the items.
If you wish to avoid cleaning chemicals you can use a solution of a little laundry detergent in a cup of warm water. Clean your antique sterling silver or gift items in this solution with the soft brush to remove dirt, fingerprint and dust. After rinsing in clean water and then drying polish the pieces with a soft cloth. The cleaning items should also be cleaned thoroughly, air dried and kept in air tight zip lock bags.
If your antique or jewelry items are heavily tarnished then you will have to use a a silver polish spray or a silver paste cleaner. Avoid rubbing with a circular motion as it might cause scratching, instead use lengthwise rubbing motions. Tarnish in crevices can be removed with a soft brush although some antique lovers prefer to leave the crevices tarnished as they believe it gives character to the piece.
Always use a clean pair of gloves to avoid leaving your body salts, fats and oils on the silver. You may also leave ugly finger prints on the surface. After cleaning with a cleaning spray or paste make sure to wipe off and remove any residue with a clean cloth. Now you can proudly display or store your precious silver items. There is no doubt that following these care and cleaning tips will help you to always keep your antique sterling silver items and jewelry shining brilliantly.
