Cleaning Your Silver & Copper Jewelry

It’s a good idea to take your expensive diamonds and estate jewelry to a fine jeweler for care and cleaning, but what about your tarnished sterling silver or copper jewelry? Is it worth the cost to use a fine jeweler for these pieces? 

You can actually clean sterling silver and copper jewelry yourself with just a few items commonly found around the house. (Note that although my methods of cleaning is to use non-toxic and less abrasive materials, the following instructions are meant for silver and copper, just the metals. If you have stones, pearls or other materials on your piece, test it first or only apply on the metal part as certain stones and pearls are too vulnerable.)

 
Cleaning Sterling Silver Jewelry:

Sterling Silver Earrings

If your piece is only a little tarnished, then take a small amount of baking soda, make a paste with some water, then polish the piece with the mixture using a soft cloth. If your piece is very tarnished, then: 

– Line a glass bowl with aluminum foil.

– Place your piece of jewelry in the bowl, making sure the foil touches the entire piece (or as much as you can get).

– Cover jewelry with good amount of baking soda.

– Add warm or hot water and be careful not to scald yourself (The hotter the water, the faster it works with the baking soda).

At this point, the baking soda will be bubbling and giving off a steam. Move a little away and don’t inhale the steam. Even though baking soda is a safe agent, it’s still a chemical compound and shouldn’t be inhaled or ingested carelessly.

– Swirl the piece around, then take it out of the bath and polish it with a soft cloth.

The piece should be nice and shiny again. But if it still has tarnish on it, repeat the above steps again.

 
Cleaning Copper Jewelry

Copper Chain Mail Cuff Bracelet

For your tarnished copper, mix some salt with lemon juice or white vinegar and polish the piece with a soft toothbrush or cloth.

– If it’s a larger piece or needs more cleaning, then up the amount of cleaning mixture (a tablespoon of salt with either a cup of lemon juice or white vinegar in a bowl or container should do it) and drop your piece inside.

– Swirl it around for a few seconds, then take it out and rub some baking soda over the entire piece. Don’t just dry the piece with lemon juice or vinegar still on it. Because lemon and vinegar is acidic, it may “eat” into the metal if you don’t neutralize it with baking soda.

– The piece will be shiny but matte. If you’d like a little more shine, then use the toothbrush with baking soda to polish.

 

If You Need More Help…

Using these inexpensive and convenient household materials, you can easily clean your own silver and copper jewelry. However, if you’d still rather have it done for you, but affordably; or you want a bright shine for the silver or copper instead of a understated glow, then I offer metal jewelry cleaning service via my business. Take a look at the details at: www.crystalaccents.com.