Man cleaning ring with Bounty paper towel
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Nana’s broach, Mom’s earrings, or maybe it was just a cute little charm you treated yourself to for surviving a long week – whatever the case, we all have a piece of jewelry that’s near and dear to our hearts. Unfortunately, if it’s made from silver, it will eventually tarnish and lose its luster. So here are a few simple ways to keep silver jewelry in showroom condition.

Cleaning Lightly Tarnished Silver Jewelry

What you'll need:

Bowl
Toothpaste (tartar control works best)
Bounty paper towels
Running water

Steps:

  1. Rub the toothpaste all over the jewelry. (Just pretend you're washing it with soap, but you’re using toothpaste instead.)
  2. Rinse all the toothpaste off and pat it dry with a Bounty paper towel(Bounty is really good at soaking up moisture, and you’re going to want to get your jewelry really dry.)
  3. If the tarnish is stubborn and refuses to come off, repeat the process while using a paper towel to really rub the toothpaste in.

Another Way To Clean Lightly Tarnished Silver Jewelry

What you'll need:

Two bowls
Hot water*
Salt
Aluminum foil
Bounty paper towels


*Always be careful when using hot water. It can scald and burn your skin if you’re not careful.

Steps:

  1. In the first bowl, stir one tablespoon of salt it into the hot water with a spoon until it completely dissolves.
  2. Place a sheet of aluminum foil at the bottom of the second bowl. Put your jewelry on top of the aluminum foil and carefully pour in the hot water and salt mixture. The combination of the salt and aluminum will react with the tarnish on the silver's surface and leave a bright, shiny surface in place of the tarnish.
  3. Rinse your silver jewelry with cool water and pat it dry with a Bounty paper towel.(Bounty is really good at soaking up moisture, and you’re going to want to get your jewelry really dry.)

• If you don’t have any salt readily available, you can use baking soda in its place. Baking soda has all of the properties needed for the chemical reaction to take place.

If this method hasn’t worked for you, there is still hope.

Deep Cleaning Heavily Tarnished Silver Jewelry

What you'll need:

Silver polish
A soft cloth or silver polishing cloth (many outstanding silver polishes come with a great silver cloth included in the package)
Bounty Paper Towels

Steps:

  1. Moisten your cloth and take a little bit of polish onto the cloth.
  2. Rub the polish into the silver jewelry gently. Make sure to rub lightly in a straight back-and-forth motion. Going in circles or scrubbing too hard can leave scratches in the jewelry’s surface.
  3. Rinse your silver jewelry with cool water and pat it dry with a Bounty paper towel.(Bounty is really good at soaking up moisture, and you’re going to want to get your jewelry really dry.)

If none of these methods worked for you, consider taking your silver jewelry to a jeweler for a professional cleaning.

Now that you’ve got your silver jewelry sparkling again, here are a few tips that you can follow to keep it looking great.

• Wear it. Silver jewelry that is worn frequently doesn’t tarnish as quickly. Besides, what’s the fun in owning something stunning if you never show it off once in awhile.

• Clean it often. Clean your silver jewelry frequently, and clean it promptly after wearing. When tarnish isn’t present yet, or when it's just beginning to develop, just gently wash your silver jewelry in warm (not hot) water with a gentle, phosphate-free detergent. As always, remember to pat it completely dry with [Bounty](/en-us/shop-products).

• Wash it separately in a bowl. Always wash silver separately from your other silver pieces, like silverware. Metal sinks and utensils can scratch silver jewelry pretty easily and quickly ruin the value and attractiveness of the piece.

• Make sure the rubber never meets the silver. Never never never wear rubber gloves when washing your silver jewelry. Rubber corrodes silver.

• Store your silver jewelry correctly. Besides cleaning promptly and often, the best way to preserve your silver is to store it properly. Before putting it away, make sure each piece is totally dry. There are special bags that are specifically made for storing silver jewelry that will prevent it from getting tarnished. If you don't own bags like these, you can wrap each piece in acid-free paper or anti-tarnish paper. You can also wrap them in flannel. Also, remember to store your silver separately from your other jewelry. Make sure that it never comes in contact with stainless steel, rubber, or paint.

That’s all there is to it! Now you’ve got easy, cost-effective ways to handle and store your silver mementos, and put the brightness back in your bling.
Woman looking down smiling while wearing a silver necklace