Windex is safe to use on silver, gold, and platinum bands but is not safe for copper. Combine the Windex and hydrogen peroxide in a 50/50 mixture and soak the ring for about 10 minutes. Then, brush with a soft toothbrush, rinse, and dry.
Dust your silver every so often using a soft cloth—it will help keep the tarnish away. And whenever you start to see it slightly tarnish (which will vary depending on the piece and how pure the silver is—less sterling tarnishes more quickly), simply give it a light cleaning using a gentle dish soap (like Dawn).
Avoid using abrasive materials such as steel wool or harsh scrubbing pads, as they can scratch the surface of the silver. Do not use bleach or other harsh chemicals, as they can discolor or damage the silver. Avoid using ultrasonic cleaners, as they can damage certain types of gemstones that may be set in the silver.
No, white vinegar will not tarnish silver. White vinegar, when used in the Medium Wash method or diluted with water, is great for cleaning tarnished silver.
The copper reacts to moisture and sulfur in the air, causing the sterling silver tarnish. Silver tarnishes faster in areas with high humidity and air pollution. Chemicals like hairspray, perfume, deodorant, body lotion, bleach, etc., can speed up the tarnishing process.
Combining baking soda and water into a paste will result in a gentle scouring powder to softly diminish rust and dark spots. As baking soda is a household ingredient often used in food, it's non-toxic, and its cleaning properties mean it brings out the sparkle.
Here are examples of instructions given by silversmiths in the 17th and 18th centuries. 1737 – "Clean it now and then with only warm water and soap, with a Spunge, and then wash it with clean water, and dry it very well with a soft Linnen cloth, and keep it in a dry place, for the damp will spoyle it".
The best way to clean your diamond jewelry and restore its sparkle is to: Spray a soft-bristled toothbrush with Windex and gently brush diamond jewelry thoroughly, removing any dirt on the surface of the diamond or dirt that has settled in and around the metal.
Least Effective: Toothpaste
Two readers, QueenSashy and Klrcon, suggested using toothpaste to clean silver—but Boulangere said that it's "abrasive and will scratch the silver, especially if it's not silver plate." Well, it didn't do all that much.
Put the silver items in a bowl of appropriate size and cover them with white distilled vinegar. Add baking soda into the bowl – the approximate proportions are 4 tablespoons of baking soda for every cup of vinegar. Leave the silver in the mixture for 1 hour. Rinse with clean water and dry well with soft cotton cloth.
Mix two parts baking soda with one part water to make a paste, then gently rub the mixture onto the jewelry. Let the paste dry completely to remove the tarnish.
You can use Coke to clean silver, but it's best for small pieces. Tarnish is removed by the acid in the Coke. It should only take a few minutes to work, so keep an eye on it and remove the silver as soon as it looks clean.
The Magnet Test
"If your magnet sticks strongly to the piece, it has a ferromagnetic core and is not silver." Fake silver or silver-plated items are generally made of other metals. This is an easy test that can give you a good idea of whether your item is real silver.
You can easily clean silver with aluminum foil, baking soda and hot water. This method uses electrolytic action instead of chemical-polish abrasion and removes the tarnish from oxidized silver without removing any of the underlying metal.
What is the black stuff on silver? The black stuff on silver, or tarnish, is silver sulfide.
In general, cleaning with acidified thiourea is preferred over abrasive cleaning. Thiourea chemically dissolves silver sulfide (tarnish).
Quickly restore your jewelry or tableware with vinegar, water and baking soda. This cleaning agent is a great option for many things, including your tarnished silver. Mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar with 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a bowl of lukewarm water. Let the silver soak for two to three hours.
Dawn dish soap, warm water and a microfiber cloth is another simple way to attempt to clean tarnished jewelry. Although not always strong enough, it is worth trying to remove the outer layer of toning.
For a quick polish, make a paste of baking soda and water. Dip a soft cloth in the paste and gently rub it on the silver. Keep moving to a clean part of the cloth as the tarnish is transferred. Rinse well and dry the silver with a microfiber cloth.
Cleaning silver with peroxide
pure hydrogen peroxide. Effective, but not always. Depending on the amount of impurities in the metal, peroxide can oxidize or reduce the compound. Therefore, you will get either a well-bleached decoration, or with a touch and spots.
Real silver jewelry tends to tarnish and turn black. To test this theory, rub your silver jewelry with a white cloth. If no black residue appears on your cloth, it's likely not silver.
Unfortunately there is no way to prevent silver from tarnishing. The more you wear it the less it will tarnish though. Definitely avoid any harsh chemicals and avoid swimming with it. To clean, mild dishwashing liquid and get a silver cloth to clean it.