Sterlng Silver Jewelry Cleaning Tips - written by Nevets Notrom

Silver earrings tend to darken and loose their luster. That is a normal phenomenon, and is in no way an indication of bad quality. Silver tarnishes and it is necessary to clean it to keep it looking at its best.

Cleaning of sterling silver jewelry or silver plated jewelry is exactly the same. There are on the market many products available at most jewelry stores that you can use to clean your jewelry.

Many acceptable and well known brand of products are available. Most of theses products are suitable for cleaning chains and earrings without stones. They do a good job of returning jewelry to a shining original condition.

For earrings or jewelry with semi-precious stones, it is best to steer away from harsh chemicals. There are special silver cleaning cloths, sold in many jewelry stores that can clean earrings with stones. You can rub the silver with the cloth to restore its luster.

A safer, greener way to clean your silver earrings is to follow my grand-mother's recipes. They are simple, the materials can be found at home and they are safe for both your silver and the environment.

Trick number one: Get a bath towel. Use a little toothpaste and a soft toothbrush. Between your fingers rub a little bit of toothpaste and apply it to each silver earring. Follow immediately with the clean toothbrush and scrub the earrings (it is not necessary to rub hard, be soft and gentle about it.) Scrub the jewelry entirely but avoid the stones if there are some. (Do not worry if you have touched the stones, it is not a big deal.)After you are done scrubbing everywhere rinse your jewelry in warm water. Dry thoroughly with the towel and admire you newly restored earrings.

The second trick is to use a lemon cut in half. You can rub the silver with a piece of lemon then rinse well with warm water and dry with a soft cloth. Nothing is easier.

Trick number three: It is a little more involved but works very well. Wrap your earrings in a sheet of aluminum foil and place them in a pan filled with a mixture of salt and water. Boil the water for about five minutes. When you are done unwrap the jewelry and rinse it with warm water.

Should your jewelry be excessively tarnished a little glass cleaning product readily available in your home or local market will do the trick nicely.

If you are looking to simply remove light fingerprints or some dirt from the piece, you could use a mild liquid detergent and warm water. Always remember to treat the piece with care. Rinse and dry before storing the jewelry away. Store the jewelry away from moisture. If you are not going to wear the piece for a long time, use small zip lock bags to keep it sealed and dry. If you are going to go into a pool or are going to be out in the sun for a while, it is not recommended to wear your precious Tiffany and Co silver jewelry. Exposure to the humidity and the sun could cause it to tarnish quicker, and so will the chemicals inside a pool.

You should under no circumstances clean silver in an ultrasonic cleaning device, as this damages it. Silver earrings are beautiful, affordable and easily cleaned. I hope these will help you get more enjoyment from old earrings.