How to Clean Sterling Silver Earrings

Cleaning sterling silver earrings is a quick and easy process.

Sterling silver is a popular alloy used in the creation of jewelry. Earrings made with sterling silver studs are especially common because they are often inexpensive, and complement most gemstones. It only takes a few uses for the shiny metallic to begin to dull, and after many wearings, the earrings may appear tarnished. You can hire a professional jeweler to clean your sterling silver earrings; however, there is a simple technique that anyone can do in their own home, with ingredients that you likely have on hand.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 1 tbsp. baking soda
• 1 cup warm water
• Aluminum foil
• 2 plastic bowls
• Soft bristle brush
• Soft towel

1. Place sterling silver earrings in a plastic bowl.

2. Mix 1 tbsp. baking soda and 1 cup warm water in a second plastic bowl.

3. Pour the baking soda mixture over the earrings, and allow them to soak for 30 minutes.

4. Remove the earrings from the mixture, and scrub any remaining spots away with a soft bristle brush.

5. Run cool water over the earrings to rinse away any remaining baking soda mixture.

6. Wipe the earrings dry with a soft cloth, or allow them to air dry on the cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are cleaning more than one set of earrings, double the ingredients in the baking soda mixture.

References

• Martha Stewart: Removing Tarnish
• Blue Nile: Silver Education