5 Tips for Keeping Sterling Silver From Tarnishing

Sterling Silver – we all love it and deck ourselves out in silver jewelry, but the hard truth is that it can tarnish. However, just because sterling silver can tarnish, doesn’t mean it will, and it shouldn’t stop you from wearing it every day! At Slate & Tell, we have a wide variety of sterling silver jewelry to pick from and we’re here to share our insider tips on how to keep your sterling silver jewelry looking sparkly and new! 

But first, it’s important to note why this can be happening. Sterling silver can tarnish quickly due to its composition. It reacts with sulfates in the air and around you, like tap water, and household items such as cleaning or beauty products, or even where your jewelry is stored. That doesn’t mean you need to get rid of the jewelry, but rather learn how to take care of it. 

Check out Slate & Tell’s 5 tips below and a few of our most-loved sterling silver jewelry pieces. 

Take off your jewelry when you are using beauty products. Face cleansers, moisturizers, hair products, perfumes, and more, can cause build up and tarnish any jewelry you are wearing. Make sure to always do your full morning routine and put your jewelry on as a last step! 

Remove your jewelry when you are handling cleaning supplies and tidying up around your house. Household cleaning supplies and even material like rubber gloves contain sulfur and can also irritate your sterling silver pieces, so it’s best to remove those before any tough handling.  

Make sure it’s stored in the right setting. Invest in a high quality jewelry box instead of throwing your jewelry in plastic bags, as plastics and tupperware type containers are high in sulfate. Our Slate & Tell Jewelry Case adds a nice pop of color to any setting and has a ton of room to store all of your jewelry! 

Purchase a silver cleaning kit. Sterling Silver jewelry cleaners are inexpensive and easy to use – you can literally find them anywhere. Pop your jewelry in the liquid cleaners or use cleansing wipes to get that sparkling effect. 

Finally, wear it often! Although it’s important to take off your jewelry when you’re using beauty products or cleaning supplies, it’s still important to wear those pieces often because your skin’s natural oils will help the silver keep it’s shine. 

Pavé Tusk Name Ring – Starting at $119

Large Paperclip Bracelet – $29 

Personalized Script Necklace – Starting at $89

Mama Name Necklace  – Starting at $109

Twine Stackable Ring – Starting at $39

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