How to Clean a Sterling Silver Necklace

Sterling silver is an alloy of at least 92.5 percent silver, with copper making up the rest of the composition. Unlike jewelry that is just coated in silver, sterling silver will stay true to its color for a long time if properly cared for. However, like all silver, sterling silver tarnishes easily by just reacting with the elements in the air. In order to keep your sterling silver jewelry—such as necklaces—looking their best, you will have to clean them regularly.

Things You'll Need

• Soft cotton cloth, such as flannel
• Mild dish soap
• Bowl

Instructions

1. Fill a bowl with a ½ cup of warm water and a ½ tsp. of mild dish soap. (Ref 4)

2. Dip the sterling silver necklace into the bowl and scrub it lightly with your fingers to remove any dirt or smudges.

3. Rinse the sterling silver necklace well in cool water. Be sure to remove all of the soap.

4. Dry the sterling silver necklace completely with a soft cotton cloth.

5. Polish the sterling silver with a clean, soft cotton cloth to remove any slight discoloration.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use any abrasive materials to clean the sterling silver, since they will scratch the surface of the necklace.

References

• Thaigen: Glossary of Gems and Jewelry
• Princeton University: WordNet Web
• Land of Odds: About Cleaning Sterling Silver Jewelry
• Southwest Affinity: Cleaning and Caring for Your Sterling Silver Jewelry and Other Sterling Silver Items