How To Clean Silver Jewellery

Have you noticed your silver jewellery turning dark grey or black?!

This is quite normal, particularly during the hotter and more humid months of the year (you should see all the silver around Byron Bay- humidity central! Ha ) or if you have left your silver jewellery out in the air while it’s not being worn (hint- always keep your jewellery in a box or bag protected from the air when you’re not wearing it as this will slow the process of tarnishing)

It’s good to remember also that some products on our skin can tarnish jewellery too- in particular, perfumes, creams, sunscreens and soaps… so be mindful of what you put on your skin that will come into contact with your jewellery.

But when your silver is at a point where it needs a good clean, we suggest this method to get it shining bright once more.

You will need to gather the following:

• Silver jewellery that needs some love

• A bowl or dish that can handle boiling water

• Aluminium foil

•   Baking/ Bi-carb soda

• White vinegar

• Boiling water

• Tweezers or small tongs

• A soft cloth or towel

• And if you have one- a jewellery polishing cloth.

STEP 1:

Line the inside of the bowl withe foil and place your jewellery in it- make sure there is enough space and try not to have your jewellery pieces overlapping, but make sure they’re all touching the foil.

STEP 2:

Make sure you have a cup or two of boiling water ready to go.

Cover the jewellery pieces in bi-carb/ baking soda- you’ll need a couple of tablespoons. 

Slowly add about 1/4- 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the dish. It will bubble and fizz, but try to add it as slowly as possible so it doesn’t fizz too much.

Then add your boiling water (about 1 cup, ensuring everything is submerged)

STEP 3:

After a few minutes of magical chemistry you will notice your jewellery becoming less black.

Remove from the bowl with your tweezers or tongs, careful not to burn your fingers, rinse under cold water and place the pieces on your cloth or towel to dry.

Tip. You can use an old toothbrush to give them a gentle scrub with some dishwashing liquid if you notice there are still sections that have not come out clean.

You can use a jewellery polishing cloth (the one we give out to all our customers with their purchases) or if you have one from somewhere else- to Give your silver that final shine and lustre it deserves.

If you’d like to purchase a new polishing cloth, you can find them here.

Clean as new!

You can check out more about jewellery care and cleaning for brass and silver on our website too.

Thanks for reading,

Team t.i.t.s xo