Well-done silver plated jewelry looks identical to silver jewelry and will maintain that appearance if you care for it. Not caring for your silver plated pieces can cause them to lose their luster fast and cause you to spend more money on re-plating the
Ways to Clean Silver Plated Jewelry
While you can take your silver plated jewelry to a professional jeweler for cleaning, there are several ways to clean them from home.
1. Polish Cloth
Polishing cloth effectively cleans mildly-stained silver jewelry and does the same on silver plated ones. Polishing cloth not only cleans the piece but helps to restore the luster and remove any early traces of tarnish on the piece.
Cleaning the silver plated jewelry is a straightforward process that involves wiping all its parts with a polishing cloth. Sometimes, you might observe the cloth looking darker when you’re done polishing.
One way to ensure your silver plated jewelry maintains its luster for long is to polish it often. You can do this daily or every time you take off the jewelry. Regularly polishing the jewelry will remove all harmful chemicals and body oils before they begin to harm it.
2. Soap and Water
Soap and water is another effective way to clean silver plated jewelry. It’s best to use mild soaps or dishwashing liquid for cleaning silver plated jewelry so that you don’t wear out the plating. This cleaning method is best for silver plated jewelry that is slightly dirty or tarnished.
Pour some warm water and dishwashing liquid or soap into a bowl. Stir the mixture and soak the jewelry in it for about 15 minutes. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to scrub the jewelry and rinse it with running water.
Always clean the jewelry after washing it to remove all moisture from the piece. Leaving moisture on your silver plated jewelry can cause it to tarnish. Microfiber cloth is the best fabric for wiping your jewelry as it’s absorbent and doesn’t leave any strands on your piece.
3. Aluminum Foil and Baking Powder
The most thorough method of cleaning silver plated jewelry is through aluminum foil and baking powder. Cleaning with this method will reverse the effects of tarnish and is best for heavily tarnished pieces. The steps for cleaning your jewelry with this method are as follows.
Step 1 — Turn the sunny side of the aluminum foil up and cover the entire bowl with it.
Step 2 — Pour warm water into the bowl and mix it with salt and baking powder. Stir the solution to dilute its contents properly.
Step 3 — Place your silver plated jewelry into the solution. Immerse the jewelry completely and ensure it touches the foil. You will observe the solution fizzing and the tarnish gradually coming off the piece in a few seconds.
Step 4 — The tarnish should come off in a few minutes. Sometimes, heavily-tarnished spots might remain on your piece; pour some baking powder on that spot and rub it with your finger. The baking powder will act as an abrasive to completely clean the piece.
Step 5 — Rinse your jewelry with clean water, dry it with a microfiber cloth and store it properly.
Can You Fix Tarnished Silver-Plated Jewelry?
Yes, you can fix tarnished silver plated jewelry. You can easily fix the appearance of your tarnished silver plated jewelry using any of the techniques mentioned above.
It’s better to protect your silver plated jewelry from tarnish, even if the aluminum and baking soda method is an effective way to remove tough tarnish. Using the aluminum and baking soda method often will cause the silver plating to wear out gradually.