Sterling Silver Knowledge & Care

This article covers some history of sterling silver, how to store your silver jewelry or houseware and ways to clean sterling silver. We have included links to further your knowledge at the end of the article.

Silver Knowledge

Silver is a precious metal that has been used for hundreds of years to make things like silverware, serving dishes, household objects, jewelry, coins & grooming products like combs, mirrors & compacts.

In the United States the stamps ".925" or ".925 sterling silver" are frequently seen on silver products. These markings mean these products are made from silver alloy containing 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper, although other metals can be used. Fine silver (99.9% pure) is to soft alone and adding another metal such as copper makes silver strong enough for everyday use. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission requires that all jewelry sold in the U.S. and marked as "silver, solid silver, sterling silver or sterling" must contain at least 92.5% silver.

In some European nations manufacturers use a series of symbols, known as hallmarks, on their products. These hallmarks represent the purity of the silver used, manufacturer, location made and the date.

Storing Sterling Silver

There are a variety of ways to store sterling silver items to slow the tarnishing process and keep items from being damaged. You can wrap larger items in large cloths and bags that contain tarnish retardants. Small items like jewelry can be stored in tight closing jewelry boxes or in zip lock bags. There are also small zip lock bags that contain tarnish retardants. People who live in areas of high humidity will have to clean their silver more often.

Cleaning Silver

If you ask 100 people how to clean silver you will get at least 30 different answers. There are polishing cremes, foams and sprays. You can use polishing cloths with tarnish retardants. There are also many homemade recipes for cleaning silver. One recipe combines tin foil, warm water & baking soda. Another uses powdered laundry detergent instead of baking soda. Still another recipe combines ingredients in a pan with silver jewelry and boils it all for a time. Some household items and foods can damage silver. Some of these are: rubber, salt, salad dressings, vinegar, eggs, fruit juices and olives.

The Lang Company Silver Jewelry recommends cleaning your silver jewelry at regular intervals with a silver polishing cloth. This way there will be minimal need for harsher silver cleaners. To help preventing tarnish build-up store your sterling silver jewelry in small zip lock bags or a tight closing jewelry box.

Sterling Silver at Wikipedia
The Vug - the portal to all things rock & mineral on the web
Shining Brightly: Silver Care and Display
Cleaning Silver FAQs