How to Take Care of Your Sterling Silver and Gold-Filled Jewelry

Mar 31

When you choose sterling silver or gold-filled jewelry, you’re making a smart decision. Both are affordable, high quality metals that can hold up to everyday wear and will last for years…if you take care of them properly. Learn a few simple ways to care for your favorite jewelry pieces so you can continue to wear them for as long as you want.

**1. The Don’ts of Jewelry Care**

First things first, there are some definite don’ts when it comes to wearing sterling silver or gold-filled jewelry.
Don’t wear it in water, whether that’s washing the dishes, showering, or swimming (especially in that chlorinated pool!). It can cause tarnishing and discoloration (but don’t worry, we’ll learn how to clean it in tip #2).
Don’t wear it to bed, especially those necklaces. They can get tangled and pulled, which can cause scratching or breaking.
Don’t wear it while doing yoga on a mountain, or any other exercise. Not only can it snag and break, but sweat can also cause tarnishing. Yes, your sweat.

**2. Do Clean It. Gently.**

Okay, I admit it, I do have a few favorite gold-filled bracelets that I wear all the time, day and night, from the pool to the shower. They hold up well to everyday wear but need a cleaning from time to time. If you need to clean either gold-filled or sterling silver jewelry, do it gently.
Use a jewelry polishing cloth. They are relatively inexpensive and can be found online, but make sure you buy one specifically for sterling silver or gold-filled jewelry.
Can’t get a polishing cloth? Find the softest t-shirt you own and use that.
Make sure you rub the chain and charms very gently - you want to clean off any accumulated dirt or tarnish, but you don’t want to scratch it.
Don’t use a polishing cloth on plated jewelry - it can rub off the plating along with the tarnish.
If a gentle polish doesn’t work, you can soak it in a mixture of very gentle liquid soap and water for a few minutes, then dry it off with that very soft t-shirt.

**3. The Way You Store It Matters**

Have you ever gone into your jewelry box to pull out that one necklace you love but haven’t worn in a while only to discover it’s tarnished from end to end? Especially with sterling silver and rose gold-filled pieces, air causes oxidation, and oxidation causes tarnish, even when it’s just sitting in a drawer or a box.
The solution? Store it in plastic. Get a bunch of small, sealable plastic bags (like the ones pictured) and store your jewelry in them. It may not look as pretty, but your jewelry will stay tarnish-free.
Separate each one into a different bag. You could get a giant plastic bag and dump all of your bracelets and necklaces in there, but they will become a tangled mess. Save yourself hours of detangling and separate them.

And that’s it! Now your sterling silver and gold-filled jewelry will be ready to wear for many years. Sign up for our newsletter for more jewelry tips, special deals, and a 10% Off coupon code.