Cleaning and Maintaining Your Sterling Silver Jewelry

Are you struggling to keep your sterling silver shiny? Tarnish can be frustrating if left uncared for. Fortunately, there are simple solutions to maintain the shine and brightness of sterling jewelry, and with proper care, it's easier than ever. I first fell in love with sterling silver as a girl, playing with the charm bracelet my mom designed in wax and my dad cast for her in dental school, when they were dating. My mom taught me how to care for her sterling pieces, and her nostalgic bracelet still looks brand new. Over decades of making and caring for sterling silver jewelry, Chris and I are sharing our best tips to keep tarnish at bay and your pieces looking as beautiful as the day you bought them. Here’s how.

First, we’ll answer some frequently asked questions at our shows to help you understand what sterling silver is and why we love it: 

Is this sterling silver and does it tarnish?

Yes, and yes, and there are simple ways to keep your sterling silver as clean and shiny as new. 

What is sterling silver and why is it used?

Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver — beautiful, yet it’s purity makes it too soft for most jewelry pieces. Sterling silver is ideal for handmade jewelry because other metals are added to make it stronger. Sterling silver includes 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals. 

Note: the sterling silver we use includes 7.5% copper — no nickel is added.

Why does sterling silver tarnish?

Tarnish happens when sterling silver is exposed to elements in the air, certain chemicals, or moisture. A dark layer coats the surface of the sterling silver, reducing it’s shine and luster. Humidity, pollution, lotions & perfumes, and even eating sulfuric foods can cause tarnish to build up over time.

Daily Care Tips

• (My personal favorite) Wear It Often: The natural oils in your skin can help keep silver clean and shiny. For me, regularly wearing my pieces works like kryptonite for tarnish and keeps my jewelry looking clean and new.
• Keep Away from Chemicals: Be sure to remove your jewelry when working with harsh chemicals, applying perfumes or lotions, or swimming in chlorine pools.
• Store Separately: When not wearing, store your sterling silver jewelry in individual bags, boxes, or compartments to avoid scratching against other pieces.

More Tarnish Solutions

• Storage Matters: I love the way decorative jewelry holders/displays look on a counter or dresser, but humidity and chemicals in the air can cause tarnish. Instead, store your sterling silver jewelry in a drawer in zip-closure bags, soft pouches, boxes, or a jewelry box to keep tarnish at bay.
• Combine Storage + Anti-Tarnish: Keep humidity and moisture from creating tarnish by storing your jewelry in zip-closure anti-tarnish bags. 
• Polishing Cloths: When you want to brighten your jewelry, we recommend using these polishing cloths designed to use with sterling silver. Note: Giving your pieces a quick polish regularly, even when they don’t look tarnished, will help keep them bright, shiny, and tarnish-free. 
• Silica Gel Packs: These little packs found in shipping materials, vitamin bottles, etc., help minimize the risk of tarnish by absorbing moisture. Tuck them into your jewelry storage as an additional way to help ward off tarnish.  

Recommended Cleaning Methods

1. Polishing Cloth
• What You Need:  A polishing cloth created for precious metals. We recommend using Sunshine Polishing Cloths. We like the yellow cloth for our sterling silver. If your piece is sterling-filled or sterling plated silver, you may want to go with their blue cloth, which is designed for plated jewelry and flatware. 
• How to Use: Rub surface to be polished with medium pressure. The polishing cloth will turn dark, but special cleansing and polishing actions work until cloth is worn through.
• Tip: Polishing cloths can remove patinas. Lightly rub the top surface of the shiny silver with the polishing cloth (not the surface with the patina). When in doubt, we can clean your Kristin Christopher pieces for you (contact us at kc@kristinchristopher.com).

2. Soap and Water

• What You Need: Warm water and dish soap.
• How to Use: Soak your sterling silver jewelry for 5 - 10 minutes in a mixture of warm water with a couple drops of dish soap. Gently cleanse small nooks & crannies with a soft toothbrush.
• Tip: Rinse thoroughly and avoid water spots by drying completely with a soft cloth.

Complex Cases

If your sterling silver jewelry is antique or includes gemstones or intricate designs that make cleaning challenging (and it’s not a Kristin Christopher piece), we recommend taking your pieces to a jewelry store that does repairs. They will have all the equipment to clean your pieces safely for you. 

To Sum it Up

The best (and easiest) way to keep your sterling silver clean, shiny, and tarnish-free is preventative care. Wearing your pieces often, mindfully storing your jewelry when it’s not being worn, and giving your pieces a quick shine regularly will help keep them beautiful and looking brand new. High quality, handmade sterling silver pieces are worth the investment and maintenance. My parents’ sterling love-story charm bracelet is a 60+ year-old shining example, a treasured piece to care for, wear, and pass to future generations.

Shop our handmade sterling silver designs at KristinChristopher.com.