How to care for your 925 Silver

Sterling silver is one of the most beautiful and timeless materials in jewellery — but like anything precious, it needs a little looking after. The good news is that caring for your silver doesn't require expensive products or a lot of effort. A few simple habits can keep your pieces looking bright and new for years, even decades.

Here's everything you need to know.

Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver, which means it's a real metal that reacts to the world around it. Exposure to air, moisture, chemicals, and even your own skin can cause it to tarnish over time — that familiar darkening or dullness you might notice on older pieces.

Tarnish isn't damage. It's a completely natural process, and it doesn't mean your jewellery is low quality. In fact, it's proof that it's genuine silver. The goal with good care isn't to fight this forever — it's simply to slow it down and reverse it easily when it does happen.

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The easiest way to care for your silver is to be mindful of when you wear it and what it comes into contact with. A few small habits go a long way:

Put your jewellery on last. Perfume, hairspray, lotions, and makeup all contain chemicals that can accelerate tarnishing and dull the surface of silver. Getting dressed first and adding your jewellery as a final touch keeps it away from most of these.

Take it off before water. Showering, swimming, and washing up might seem harmless, but chlorine, salt water, and even tap water can affect sterling silver over time. It takes seconds to remove a necklace or ring before you jump in, and it makes a noticeable difference in the long run.

Remove it before exercise. Sweat is surprisingly harsh on silver. If you're heading to the gym or for a run, it's worth leaving your jewellery at home or taking it off beforehand.

Avoid contact with cleaning products. Household chemicals — bleach, detergents, anything abrasive — can damage silver quickly. Always remove rings before cleaning.

Storage is one of the most overlooked parts of jewellery care, and it makes an enormous difference. Silver tarnishes fastest when it's exposed to air, humidity, and light.

Store pieces individually in soft pouches, small zip-lock bags, or a lined jewellery box. This prevents scratching and limits air exposure.

Keep it dry. Avoid storing silver in bathrooms, where humidity is high. A bedroom drawer or jewellery box is much better.

Anti-tarnish strips are a simple and inexpensive addition to any jewellery box — they absorb the sulphur in the air that causes tarnishing, and they work quietly in the background without any effort from you.

Don't pile pieces together. Chains tangle, surfaces scratch, and clasps catch. A little organisation now saves frustration later.

Even with the best habits, silver will eventually need a clean. The good news is that most tarnish is easy to remove at home with things you likely already have.

For light tarnish — a polishing cloth

A soft silver polishing cloth is the gentlest and most effective everyday cleaning tool. Use it in gentle back-and-forth strokes rather than circular motions, which can create fine scratches. These cloths are inexpensive, reusable, and worth having in your jewellery drawer.

For moderate tarnish — warm water and mild soap

Mix a small amount of gentle dish soap with warm (not hot) water. Use a soft cloth or a very soft toothbrush to clean the piece, rinse thoroughly, and dry it completely with a soft cloth before storing. Make sure it's fully dry — any moisture left on the surface can encourage tarnishing.

For stubborn tarnish — baking soda paste

Mix a small amount of baking soda with water to form a paste. Apply gently with a soft cloth, rinse well, and dry completely. This is effective for heavier tarnish but should be used sparingly — it's mildly abrasive, so save it for pieces that really need it.

Toothpaste — a common recommendation online, but it's too abrasive for most silver jewellery and can cause fine scratches

Paper towels or rough cloths — these can scratch the surface

Ultrasonic cleaners — not suitable for all silver pieces, especially those with stones or delicate settings

If your silver jewellery includes gemstones, be a little more cautious with cleaning. Some stones — including pearls, opals, turquoise, and coral — are porous and can be damaged by water, soap, or chemicals. For these pieces, a dry polishing cloth is usually the safest option, and when in doubt, it's worth checking with your jeweller.

Hard stones like cubic zirconia, quartz, and topaz are generally more resilient, but it's still worth being gentle around settings and prongs.

Home care takes you a long way, but some things are worth having a professional look at:

Clasps or findings that feel loose or are not closing properly

Prongs around stones that look worn or slightly open

Deep scratches or damage to the surface

Pieces that hold sentimental or significant financial value

A good jeweller can professionally polish, re-plate (if the piece has rhodium plating), and check settings to make sure everything is secure. It's a small investment that can add years to the life of a piece you love.

If all of that feels like a lot, here's the short version to remember:

Put it on last, take it off first

Keep it away from water, sweat, and chemicals

Store it somewhere dry, in a pouch or box

Polish it gently when it needs it

Dry it completely before putting it away

Sterling silver is remarkably resilient when it's looked after well. The pieces that get worn regularly, cared for consistently, and stored properly are often the ones that last generations — and only get more beautiful with time.

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