Storing Silver Jewelry
Sitting in my jewelry box is a bunch of old silver jewelry from many years ago. Some pieces are practically black. Those pastes and cloths work wonders on most of it. I have some earrings though, that will remain forever a dull gray.
The longer a piece goes between polishes, the more difficult it is to restore the silver to its original beauty. So keep your silver jewelry clean by polishing often and storing properly. Control the exposure to air pollutants and humidity and you’re controlling the amount and rate of tarnish.
An air-tight pouch or zip-lock bag works best. Be careful which plastic bags you choose: some are made of polyvinyl which contain sulfur that can cause tarnish or staining. Look for zip locks made of Mylar or polyethylene. Use a small bag for each piece to prevent items from scratching each other.
Be careful not to store jewelry in a drawer or box where it can be damaged by other articles. Old pennies, rubber bands, sharp metal objects all can damage silver by either scratching its soft surface or by speeding up the oxidation process – causing tarnish. Also be careful of leaving silver on wood or in a wooden container. Many woods contains acids that can damage the finish of silver. Other metals and materials like rubber can also quicken the tarnishing process.
We sell anti-tarnish paper in our little Silver Lover’s Kit. Place a piece of this in each little air-tight bag and it will help reduce tarnish.
All in all, what is the best way to keep your silver clean? Wear it!
June 7th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
These are some great things to keep in mind when you’re storing your sterling jewelry. Thanks for posting this!