Silver should always be stored in a drawer or chest lined with tarnish-resistant flannel or individually wrapped in acid-free tissue paper, silver cloth, or unbleached cotton muslin and placed in a zip-top plastic bag.
Keep Away from Moisture
Your jewelry may be more vulnerable to tarnishing in water and humidity. Therefore, sterling silver jewelry should be kept in a cool, dry location like a container, jewelry box, or airtight bag. Also, before you put it in the package, all air must be drawn out so that no oxidation can occur.
When storing, keep silver in a dry, cool spot and give delicate pieces some space so they aren't prone to running into one another. Restore Shine with Toothpaste: Cleaning silver with toothpaste can produce sparkling results. Dilute toothpaste with a little water, polish the silver with a soft cloth, and rinse.
Clean Silver with Dish Soap and Water
Cleaning silver with harsh abrasive products like chlorine bleach, or storing it using rubber bands and newspaper, is a no-no.
Cleaning silver with Vinegar
Even the most tarnished pieces of silverware can come back to life just by using vinegar. The combination of bicarbonate of soda, aluminium foil and vinegar make for a deadly foe to tarnish and will leave your silverware looking beautiful once more.
Rubber gloves and bands, wool and elastic items contain higher levels of sulphur and tarnish sterling silver faster. In addition, eggs, salad dressings and onions also speed up the tarnishing process.
Silver tarnishes in environments containing various sulphuric gases, even in very low concentration. The amount of tarnishing is determined by the relative humidity, ambient temperature, gas concentration, and the length of time the silver is exposed to the gases.”
3 Cornflour + Water
If your silver has lost its shine this recipe will help you restore it. Prepare a thick paste of water cornflour and apply it onto the silver item. Let the mixture dry completely and rub it off with a towel to polish the surface and restore the shine of your jewellery and silverware.
Sterling silver is better than silver when designing and wearing jewelry because it's stronger and can look good for a lifetime.
DON'T skip the aluminum foil, though! The aluminum moves the silver oxidation from the silver to the foil. You need to lay the sterling on aluminum foil or it will turn black. Also exercise caution with silver plated objects— especially if you don't know what other metals are in the piece.
In a controlled environment, it could take sterling silver a couple of years to tarnish. Or if the piece is constantly worn without applying preventative steps, it could take just a few months for the piece to begin to show signs of tarnish.
WD-40 works quickly to polish and protect fine silver plates, platters and even silverware. The oil compounds in WD-40 break up grime, leaving a thin layer of protection against tarnish.
For silverware, jewelry, and other small silver items, soak them in a glass bowl with a half-cup of distilled white vinegar and two tablespoons of baking soda. Let the silver soak for three hours, rinse the items, and dry and polish them with a microfiber cloth.
In addition, although air and humidity cause tarnish it is not a good idea to store your silver in plastic bags. The reason is that the bags can trap moisture within them which actually can accelerate tarnishing, and also cause pitting.
Silver can take two months or two years to tarnish. Silver tarnishes faster the longer it is exposed to the air, humidity, pollution, and chemical substances. Also, the speed in which silver tarnishes depends on how much sulfur-containing gases are in the air. But, it is essential to remember that it is not permanent.
Argentium – Either 93.5% or 96% silver, with a proprietary blend of germanium, zinc, boron and copper making up the remainder. Argentium silver is the most well-known tarnish resistant alloy.
High quality sterling silver can last for decades if well taken care of. It's important to clean it and store it properly when not being worn. Silver will also last longer if kept away from harsh chemicals such as lotions, perfumes, hand sanitizers, and many soaps.
Silver is a very reactive metal. It loses its original shine because it chemically reacts to your physical composition and environment. Sweat, sickness or a boozy weekend can all change your body chemistry causing your silver to turn black. A light polish with your cloth usually takes it away.
Silver turns black when kept in the air because it reacts with sulphur compounds such as hydrogen sulphide (H2S) present in air.
Silver is a common metal used in jewelry or dinnerware. If you don't have any chemical cleaner, you can use Coca-Cola, or Coke, as a simple cleaning substitute for sterling or plated silver. The acid in Coke works to cut through any grime or rust on the silver's surface.
Cleaning silver with Coca Cola is a very popular method used by people wondering how to clean tarnished silver. In fact, it doesn't have to be Coke or even cola, any similar carbonated drink such as lemonade will work just as well.
While tarnish does not affect the metal content of the sterling silver piece, if not cleaned properly or if the silver piece sustains damage due to excess cleaning, then the tarnish may affect the value of the piece. Dealers will often give you a lower price if you bring it in covered with tarnish.