Originally published July 12, 2017. Now updated with video instructions for the best tarnish removal process!

What’s the Best Way to Clean Jewelry?

You want your jewelry to last you a long time, and so do I. A lot of heart and soul go into each piece and while some wear and tear are normal over time, treating your jewelry and giving it a little TLC can keep it looking great for a lifetime. 

The Basics Don’ts of cleaning jewelry

Avoid wearing while swimming, working out (yes, even yoga), showering, gardening or when working with chemicals. All of these activities can stress your jewelry, scratch it, bend it or just generally gunk it up (ew).

Cleaning Oxidized Silver Jewelry

Oxidized silver has been given a surface treatment to create a dark black color. Over time, this color may fade to bright silver and is considered normal wear. Never fear though, this blackening can be brought back simply and affordably.

Storage to protect your jewelry

We know that you want to wear your jewelry all the time, but when you aren’t wearing it, we suggest storing it in the box that it came in or even better, in a tiny plastic bag with an anti-tarnish strip.  The plastic bag trick works especially well for silver.

Eco-Friendly Tarnish Removal for your jewelry

Fun Science Project Alert!

Silver jewelry has a great luster and bright, white color, but over time, exposure to moisture and air can cause tarnish.  Here is a fast, cheap, easy, fun and eco-friendly way to restore your silver jewelry to a bright shine.

• Boil water

• Place a piece of tin foil in a heatproof bowl

• Place jewelry on top of foil

• Sprinkle baking soda and a pinch of salt over the jewelry

• Pour boiling water over the jewelry and foil

• The mixture will bubble (like you’re a witch standing over a bubbling cauldron) for a moment and then your silver jewelry will be bright again.

• Careful when removing jewelry-it will be very hot! (This seems obvious, but my lawyers recommended that I tell you this.)

• Rinse with cool water

This method is safe for many stones, except for turquoise and opals.  Also, be advised that while pearls will be fine in this process, the epoxy that often holds them in place might come loose due to the heat.

Check out the video demo of this method here:

PS – this works great on gold that has discolored too!