Nothing can compare to the brightness and shine of sterling silver jewelry pieces. It’s no wonder why so many style-conscious men and women are madly in love with these gleaming fashion accessories!
Despite of the sheer beauty of sterling silver, there is a particular bane that everyone who owns it has to constantly face: tarnishing! Tarnish is a thin layer of corrosion sitting on the surface of sterling silver items, brought about by oxidation. The process of tarnishing occurs upon the presence of moisture.
Fortunately, keeping tarnish at bay is fairly easy. Owning sterling silver jewelry need not leave you with a headache each time you want to bring back its sparkle. Below you can 15 ways to keep your prized possession in tip-top condition.
1. Corn Starch
Add a few drops of water to a tablespoon of cornstarch, just enough to make a thick paste. Use a damp cloth to smear the mixture on your sterling silver jewelry. Allow it to dry and rub off the caked solution with a soft cloth.
2. Baking Soda
Another very simple anti-tarnish paste that you can make is something out of a tablespoon of baking soda and a few drops of water. Rub the mixture on tarnished areas of your fashion accessory, then wipe with a soft cloth until shiny.
3. Cigarette Ash
It may sound really weird but paste out of cigarette ash and a few drops of water can bring back your sterling silver’s lost shine. Rub the mixture on the item with your fingertips. Allow it to dry for a while and polish with a soft cloth.
4. Aluminum Foil
Half fill a small pot with water. Add a small strip of aluminum foil and a teaspoon of baking soda. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and dunk your sterling silver jewelry in it. Use kitchen tongs to remove it after about 10 seconds.
5. Powdered Laundry Detergent
Grab a small bowl and line it with aluminum foil. Fill it with hot water and place a tablespoon of powdered laundry detergent. Soak your sterling silver fashion accessory in it for about a minute. Remove, rinse with water and thoroughly dry.
6. Salt and Lemon Juice
Wet a soft-bristled toothbrush with lemon juice then dip it in salt. Gently brush the tarnished areas of your sterling silver fashion accessory. Rinse with water and use a soft cloth to dry the item up and bring it to an impressive shine.
7. Vinegar and Baking Soda
In a small bowl, pour 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Dump 2 tablespoons of baking soda in it. Dunk your precious sterling silver jewelry in it while it’s still fizzing. Leave the item there for a couple of hours. Afterwards, rinse with water and dry.
8. Ketchup
Aside from making your hotdog taste yummy, ketchup can also make sterling silver sparkle like crazy. Simply rub ketchup on tarnished areas. Allow it to stay there for a couple of minutes. Wash with water and dry.
9. Hand Sanitizer
Other than making your hands germ-free, a hand sanitizer can also make your sterling silver tarnish-free. Add a dollop of it on a soft cloth and rub away tarnished parts to make the item look sparkling again.
10. Toothpaste
It’s not just your teeth that your trusted toothpaste can clean and polish, but also your sterling silver jewelry. Place a small amount of toothpaste on a damp cloth and polish the item. Rinse with water and dry thoroughly.
11. Lemon-Lime Soda
Thirsty? Grab a bottle of lemon-lime soda. Frustrated that your sterling silver jewelry is tarnished? Reach for the same beverage! Fill a small bowl with it and let your fashion accessory soak in it for an hour. Rinse and dry afterwards.
12. Ammonia
Bring back your sterling silver’s gleam by soaking it in a solution of 1/2 cup of warm water and 1/4 cup of clear ammonia. Let the item stay there for about 10 minutes. Remove then dry using a soft cloth.
13. Window Cleaner
Your favorite window cleaner can make your sterling silver personal ornament shine like no other. Simply spray some of it directly on a cloth and use it to clean your fashion accessory. Buff afterwards with a soft, dry cloth.
14. Chalk
Stashing anti-tarnish paper in your jewelry box keeps moisture away from your favorite sterling silver item. If the product is not available, use chalk instead. Chalk is very good at absorbing moisture in the air, keeping tarnish at bay.
15. Silica Gel Packs
Don’t throw away that silica gel pack you find inside a bottle of multivitamins, a box of leather item or elsewhere. Place it in your jewelry box to delay tarnishing. Silica gel is a wonderful moisture absorber just like anti-tarnish paper and chalk.
