These cloths are infused with a compound that helps remove tarnish from a piece of jewelry. This method works best with less textured pieces, it’s just easier to rub across wider flat surfaces.

Remember to wash with soap, water, and an old toothbrush afterwards. Bits of cloth may break off in the rubbing and get stuck in the nooks and crannies of your piece. Washing also helps remove the compound from the cloth that was deposited on your piece.

Customers often ask us; what is the best polishing cloth to use with jewelry? Our favorite is the Sunshine Polishing Cloths that we buy from our supplier in New Mexico. They are durable and hardworking tools. Different varieties may be available at your local craft store as well.

We recommend Dawn dish soap, but use whatever is handy. Brushing your jewelry like you brush your teeth helps remove any dirt or dust that has gotten on your piece. A soft bristle brush works best.

Many people are intimidated by the idea of water on their silver. It’s not the getting wet that darkens silver, it’s staying wet, so make sure you dry it! Shake it, towel dry it, or use a hairdryer for maximum dryness. Jewelry that is wet for a prolonged time, or stored in a humid room, tarnishes much more quickly.

This DIY method removes tarnish by actually removing the thinnest layer of surface metal. It is a mildly corrosive chemical reaction that strips away the tarnish. This method works great on chains and textured pieces.

The video below shows you the results. Line a bowl with the shiny side of tinfoil facing up. Pour in the baking soda and submerge your piece in it. Pour over the boiling water and watch it bubble. Be careful when removing your piece from the hot water.

A paste can also be made from hot water and baking soda, the paste can then be rubbed or tooth-brushed into hard to reach areas of your piece.

Finish the process by cleaning it with soap and water. As always, make sure to dry it afterwards.

Humidity and heat are the main things to avoid when storing your jewelry. You can also use tarnish tabs, they are small sheets of paper that absorb compounds that will oxidize your piece. If you keep it in a box with a tarnish tab it will stay brighter, longer. Or you can put a few at the bottom of your jewelry display.

It’s hard to buy tarnish tabs in quantities under 100, but they are cheap and you can always share them. Just search “anti-tarnish tabs for jewelry” for retailers.

Your jewelry is also affected by perspiration and the oils in your skin. For most people, their silver stays brighter simply from wearing it. However, body chemistry does change because of hormones, medications, cosmetics and lotions, and this can make your silver tarnish more quickly. If your jewelry gets darker when you wear it, try washing it with soap and water afterwards.