How to Polish Silver Rings

Return the luster to your silver rings.

Caring for silver jewelry has some challenges not often found with other metals. Silver is prone to tarnishing, caused by moisture in the air as well as light. Silver rings often have intricate designs that make it difficult to remove all the dirt and tarnish. Silver is also a soft metal, so overly abrasive cleansers can scratch and mar the surface of the silver ring. Avoid expensive jewelry cleaning chemicals and instead use some common household supplies to keep your silver rings looking like new.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl Toothbrush Toothpaste Dish soap Lint-free cloth

Instructions

1. Fill a small bowl with water. Set the silver wring inside the bowl and lightly scrub it with a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove any surface dirt or dirt caught within the designs on the ring.

2. Place a small bead of non-gel toothpaste on the brush. Scrub the ring lightly with the toothpaste to remove any remaining dirt or tarnished spots. Toothpaste is a mild abrasive that does not scratch silver as long as you do not scrub too vigorously.

3. Place a drop of dish soap on the ring and wash the toothpaste off in clear water. Inspect the ring for any remaining dirt or tarnish and clean a second time if necessary.

4. Wipe the silver ring dry with a lint-free eyeglass cloth or a jewelry polishing cloth. Rub the entire ring lightly with the cloth to return the shine and luster to the silver.

Tips & Warnings

• Store silver rings and other jewelry wrapped in the polishing cloth to prevent tarnish during storage.

• If you decide to use a jewelry cleaner, verify the particular brand is safe for silver jewelry. Some general-purpose cleaners can harm silver. Always wash rings in a bowl or close the drain on the sink so you do not lose the ring down the drain.

References

• KSC Recycling and Sustainability Office: Do-it-Yourself Safe Cleaning Solutions
• Jewelry Information Center: How to Clean