Tried and tested ways to clean silver jewelry
November 3, 2015 12:33 PM Subscribe
My wife's silver jewelry is really tarnished, and needs a good cleaning. In order of importance: the cleaning method shouldn't damage the jewelry (some of it has sentimental value), it should actually work, it should be cheap, and it should be easy. What has worked for you to clean silver jewelry?
(I found the aluminum foil and baking soda method via previous questions, and I've heard of lemon juice and toothpaste+toothbrush before. Are these effective?)
(I found the aluminum foil and baking soda method via previous questions, and I've heard of lemon juice and toothpaste+toothbrush before. Are these effective?)
Jewelry cleaning cloths are what you want. They're cheap, work like a charm, and last forever. You can get them on Amazon, or any jeweler will probably have some behind the counter they can sell to you.
posted by anderjen at 12:56 PM on November 3, 2015 [9 favorites]
posted by anderjen at 12:56 PM on November 3, 2015 [9 favorites]
I recently tried the aluminum foil and baking soda thing, and it worked pretty well. My silver jewelry was pretty tarnished, and while it didn't get quite as super-shiny as brand new silver, it was close enough. And it required zero scrubbing.
posted by Metroid Baby at 1:01 PM on November 3, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Metroid Baby at 1:01 PM on November 3, 2015 [3 favorites]
Once she's cleaned it, store it in a silver bag treated with tarnish preventer to keep from having to rub the delicate finishes too much.
posted by cecic at 1:03 PM on November 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by cecic at 1:03 PM on November 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
I typically do a liquid silver cleaner followed by toothpaste. The silver cleaner is harsher and leaves the color a bit odd, but can get into the crevices and also is more uniform of a tarnish remover, and then the follow-up of toothpaste gets the color back to normal and removes really stubborn tarnish spots. If a piece is super sentimental, I just do the toothpaste route but the liquid cleaner's never been a problem on anything other than cheap plated stuff and even then it works until it doesn't.
posted by vegartanipla at 1:06 PM on November 3, 2015
posted by vegartanipla at 1:06 PM on November 3, 2015
I would absolutely do the aluminum foil and baking soda method first, because it will likely make a big difference (it did for my jewelry) and it's the kindest and least destructive option. Plus it doesn't require a big investment in supplies.
So start there, and see where you end up. If you still have problems, move on to the more aggressive cleaners.
posted by telepanda at 1:17 PM on November 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
So start there, and see where you end up. If you still have problems, move on to the more aggressive cleaners.
posted by telepanda at 1:17 PM on November 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
If you want to keep the patina in the crevices to help show off details (in say Pandora beads or similar) or to keep an antiqued look then a jewelry cleaning cloth. If you want it shiny new looking then the aluminium foil trick is the way to go.
posted by wwax at 1:46 PM on November 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by wwax at 1:46 PM on November 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
Nobody's spoken up for silver polish yet? I use silver polish from the store. I think what I have now is Hagerty brand (blue bottle). It's a fairly liquid-y formula that gets into the crevices of my jewelry nicely. I use it on a paper towel or, even better, a cloth rag, mixing in a bit of water if needed.
It wasn't too terribly expensive, and one container has lasted me years. It works like a charm and I have never noticed any damage caused to my jewelry. The only problem I can think of is that it's probably not the most nontoxic option.
posted by toomuchkatherine at 1:59 PM on November 3, 2015 [7 favorites]
It wasn't too terribly expensive, and one container has lasted me years. It works like a charm and I have never noticed any damage caused to my jewelry. The only problem I can think of is that it's probably not the most nontoxic option.
posted by toomuchkatherine at 1:59 PM on November 3, 2015 [7 favorites]
If there is fine engraving, don't polish often as you can literally erase it. For historic silver, here are the recommended methods:
POLISHING
Polishing with a mild abrasive is the only safe cleaning method conservators can recommend for most historic silver artifacts. Commercially available “silver dips” may contain undesirable components such as hydrochloric or sulfuric acid that act too quickly and remove more metal than simple polishing does. Conservators do resort to special dips in certain, extreme cases, but for most tarnished silver, this method is too aggressive. Silver which has been dipped usually requires further burnishing to restore luster to the surface. Some commercial paste polished (i.e. “Duraglit”) are quite abrasive and may scratch your fine silver. “Hagerty’s Foam” polish and “Twinkle” for silver are thought to be somewhat less abrasive than others. Light polishing may be done using jeweler’s cloth containing rouge (i.e. “Birk Cloth”, “Hagerty Glove”). A museum-proven, safe polishing method is as follows:
For most polishing, we use fine calcium carbonate, CHALK (“whiting”), worked into a slurry or runny paste with equal amounts of ethanol (denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol) and distilled water. The paste is rubbed across the surface working a small area at a time with cotton balls or clean, cotton rags. Detailed areas may be polished with Q-tips or with cotton wadding on the end of a sharpened bamboo skewer. Depending on the design of your object, it may not be desirable to OVER-CLEAN every crevice, as this decreases the overall contrast of the detailing. It is important to remove all residual polish with distilled water. Drying may be accelerated by adding ethanol to the rinse water, or by giving the object a final wipe with ethanol.
posted by PussKillian at 2:39 PM on November 3, 2015 [5 favorites]
POLISHING
Polishing with a mild abrasive is the only safe cleaning method conservators can recommend for most historic silver artifacts. Commercially available “silver dips” may contain undesirable components such as hydrochloric or sulfuric acid that act too quickly and remove more metal than simple polishing does. Conservators do resort to special dips in certain, extreme cases, but for most tarnished silver, this method is too aggressive. Silver which has been dipped usually requires further burnishing to restore luster to the surface. Some commercial paste polished (i.e. “Duraglit”) are quite abrasive and may scratch your fine silver. “Hagerty’s Foam” polish and “Twinkle” for silver are thought to be somewhat less abrasive than others. Light polishing may be done using jeweler’s cloth containing rouge (i.e. “Birk Cloth”, “Hagerty Glove”). A museum-proven, safe polishing method is as follows:
For most polishing, we use fine calcium carbonate, CHALK (“whiting”), worked into a slurry or runny paste with equal amounts of ethanol (denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol) and distilled water. The paste is rubbed across the surface working a small area at a time with cotton balls or clean, cotton rags. Detailed areas may be polished with Q-tips or with cotton wadding on the end of a sharpened bamboo skewer. Depending on the design of your object, it may not be desirable to OVER-CLEAN every crevice, as this decreases the overall contrast of the detailing. It is important to remove all residual polish with distilled water. Drying may be accelerated by adding ethanol to the rinse water, or by giving the object a final wipe with ethanol.
posted by PussKillian at 2:39 PM on November 3, 2015 [5 favorites]
I'm another one who uses silver polish. I've used Wright's Silver Cream for years with no adverse effects or damage. It does a fantastic job on even the most tarnished silver.
The downside is that it does make a bit of a mess and it takes a bit of elbow grease. You have to rub it on with a soft rag and then wash it off.
You can try a dip instead of a polish if you just want to dip your silver items instead of doing the work of polishing them. I've never used a dip, but do know that if you use a dip, you'll lose any patina you might have on your silver. Some people don't care about or don't prefer the patina on their silver, so if it's undesirable, you can use a dip to get rid of it. A patina is the darkened oxidation that occurs in the nooks and crevices of your silver.
If you're not sure what the difference is, here's a link that does a pretty good job of explaining.
posted by cleverevans at 2:45 PM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
The downside is that it does make a bit of a mess and it takes a bit of elbow grease. You have to rub it on with a soft rag and then wash it off.
You can try a dip instead of a polish if you just want to dip your silver items instead of doing the work of polishing them. I've never used a dip, but do know that if you use a dip, you'll lose any patina you might have on your silver. Some people don't care about or don't prefer the patina on their silver, so if it's undesirable, you can use a dip to get rid of it. A patina is the darkened oxidation that occurs in the nooks and crevices of your silver.
If you're not sure what the difference is, here's a link that does a pretty good job of explaining.
posted by cleverevans at 2:45 PM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best thing ever is a pickle, then a polish with a soft cloth. Here is a link to a natural pickle method. You shouldn't do this with pieces with stones.
posted by ersatzkat at 2:52 PM on November 3, 2015
posted by ersatzkat at 2:52 PM on November 3, 2015
Another vote here for silver polish. I've worn exclusively sterling silver jewelry my entire adult life and I've only ever used the one tub of Wright's and an old toothbrush.
posted by irisclara at 3:26 PM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by irisclara at 3:26 PM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
If the jewellery is set with pearls, amber or semi-precious stones, please do not use a dip or the foil/baking soda method as these may damage the gems. Pearls and amber are organic (sort of), and some of the semi-precious stones can be delicate. Use a silver cloth or a silver polish with a toothbrush and rag, rinsing with warm water or alcohol.
posted by ninazer0 at 3:35 PM on November 3, 2015
posted by ninazer0 at 3:35 PM on November 3, 2015
I was wondering if the aluminum foil method might end up depositing aluminimum on the silver. According to this website , it actually undoes the chemical process of tarnishing and restores the silver on the surface rather than wearing it away. (The website is a science fun page written by a chemistry professor at the University of Wisconsin so I assume the science is accurate.)
posted by metahawk at 5:22 PM on November 3, 2015
posted by metahawk at 5:22 PM on November 3, 2015
PussKillian has quoted good museum advice for fragile and important pieces.
Her info. mentions Twinkle as one of the better/less abrasive of the commercial polishes and I wanted to endorse Twinkle for non-heirloom pieces.
posted by gudrun at 6:44 PM on November 3, 2015
Her info. mentions Twinkle as one of the better/less abrasive of the commercial polishes and I wanted to endorse Twinkle for non-heirloom pieces.
posted by gudrun at 6:44 PM on November 3, 2015
Vintage and antique silver dealer here. The answer depends on the age/value/fine detail of the jewelry and, correspondingly, the importance of long term preservation, as almost all methods remove some material.
PussKillian's advice is the most conservative for removing all of the tarnish. Even more conservative, and what I do for old pieces whose patina I want to preserve is simply the Windex containing ammonia and a toothbrush. A significant amount of that "tarnish" is dirt and oil, and the windex will remove that. You may start there as you may actually prefer that look, and you run no danger of much of anything*.
The next step up from that is a pickle of some kind. The lemon juice and aluminum apparently works, but I've never done it. Actual metal pickle is not expensive, though minor precautions should be taken, and it woks best warm.
The easiest thing to do is take it to a jeweler and have them zap it on their polishing wheel. We used to do this for free in exchange for having them stand around for two minutes looking at our wares.
Jewelry cloths can be fine, or destructive depending on what they're actually impregnated with. "Silver polish" is bad. Heavily abrasive, hard to get out of crannies. Don't use it.
*There are apparently rare cases of reaction with certain stones, but I've never run into that.
posted by cmoj at 9:12 AM on November 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
PussKillian's advice is the most conservative for removing all of the tarnish. Even more conservative, and what I do for old pieces whose patina I want to preserve is simply the Windex containing ammonia and a toothbrush. A significant amount of that "tarnish" is dirt and oil, and the windex will remove that. You may start there as you may actually prefer that look, and you run no danger of much of anything*.
The next step up from that is a pickle of some kind. The lemon juice and aluminum apparently works, but I've never done it. Actual metal pickle is not expensive, though minor precautions should be taken, and it woks best warm.
The easiest thing to do is take it to a jeweler and have them zap it on their polishing wheel. We used to do this for free in exchange for having them stand around for two minutes looking at our wares.
Jewelry cloths can be fine, or destructive depending on what they're actually impregnated with. "Silver polish" is bad. Heavily abrasive, hard to get out of crannies. Don't use it.
*There are apparently rare cases of reaction with certain stones, but I've never run into that.
posted by cmoj at 9:12 AM on November 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
Chiming in to add that I too have tried the alum foil/baking soda method. I lined a small condiment/dipping bowl with foil and dunked my earlobes/earrings in one at a time without even taking them off and it definitely removed a lot of tarnish. Easy peasy, very effective.
I have not tried lemon juice or toothpaste.
posted by atinna at 8:15 PM on November 4, 2015
I have not tried lemon juice or toothpaste.
posted by atinna at 8:15 PM on November 4, 2015
Also to prevent tarnish you don't need any special "silver bag." Silver tarnishes from sulfur in the air reacting to form silver sulfide, so just keep it in a zip top plastic bag when it's not being worn.
posted by cmoj at 4:40 PM on November 5, 2015
posted by cmoj at 4:40 PM on November 5, 2015
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