CareHow to clean silver jewellery that has darkened

The dark layer that forms is called tarnish, a reaction between silver and sulphur compounds in the air. It happens faster where jewellery meets sweat, perfume, hairspray, chlorinated pool water, or humid storage. Coastal, humid places speed it up noticeably.

This is not damage. The layer is extremely thin and sits on the surface only, so the original colour comes back without losing any of the silver underneath.

1. 01Warm water and mild soapSoak briefly, rub gently with your fingers or a very soft toothbrush, then rinse and dry completely before storing.
2. 02A silver polishing clothThese are already impregnated with a mild polish. Rub in one direction rather than in circles, so fine scratches do not build into a pattern.
3. 03Baking soda for stubborn spotsMix a little with water into a thin paste, apply lightly, rub gently, then rinse thoroughly. Do not use it on pieces with stones.

Keep bleach, bathroom cleaners, and anything chlorine based away from silver. They attack the surface and can dull it permanently. Avoid stiff brushes and gritty toothpaste too, which scratch even though the piece looks shiny straight afterwards.

Do not soak pieces with stones for long. Water working into a setting can loosen the adhesive used with certain stones.

If a piece has engraving that was deliberately darkened in the recesses, do not scrub it fully clean. Those dark lines are what make the pattern readable.

If the colour has gone dark right through and home methods do not shift it, or if the piece is densely engraved, polishing at a bench is safer. The right tools reach into the recesses without flattening the motif.

Anything we made is welcome back at our shop in Pasar Sanglah for polishing whenever you are passing.