What is the best way to clean sterling silver jewelry?

Start with the gentlest step: wash it in warm water with a little mild detergent, rinse, and dry it with a soft cloth. Then polish only the tarnish that remains, using a silver polishing cloth or a mild silver polish. The Canadian Conservation Institute notes that every polish removes a little silver, so stop as soon as it looks right.

Can I use toothpaste or baking soda to clean silver?

We would not. The Canadian Conservation Institute prefers the mildest polish that works, and warns that some polishes contain abrasive particles large enough to leave visible scratches on silver. Its preferred mild polish is precipitated calcium carbonate (precipitated chalk) mixed with water. Toothpaste and baking soda are not on its list.

Are silver dips safe for jewelry?

Use them with care, if at all. The Canadian Conservation Institute says chemical dips should never be used on objects with sealed hollow parts, that their acids damage some materials, that they may be harmful to the user, and that silver should be exposed to them as little as possible to avoid pitting. Keep them away from stones, pearls and glued settings.

How often should I clean sterling silver?

As rarely as you can get away with. The Canadian Conservation Institute notes that each polish or chemical cleaning removes some silver, and that freshly polished silver tarnishes faster than silver with a thin tarnish layer. Wipe pieces after wearing, store them sealed, and polish only when they need it.

Should I polish oxidized silver?

No. Oxidized silver is blackened on purpose to show off a design. The Canadian Conservation Institute says to avoid polishing silver with intentional patination, because polishing removes the dark finish that is part of the piece.

How to Clean Sterling Silver Jewelry Safely, Step by Step

Q: Does the aluminum foil method work on silver?

The chemistry works. The Canadian Conservation Institute describes removing tarnish by putting silver in contact with aluminum in a warm solution of washing soda (sodium carbonate). It warns that pitting can occur if the aluminum has become coated or inert. Do not use it on jewelry with stones, pearls, glue or hollow parts.

How to clean sterling silver comes down to three steps: wash it, polish only the tarnish that is left, and dry it well. The order matters, because washing costs you nothing, while every polish removes a little silver.

That last point comes from the people who look after silver for a living. This guide follows the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI), the Government of Canada's museum conservation lab, rather than jeweler blogs, and adapts its advice for jewelry.

Before you start: what are you cleaning?

The right method depends on the piece. Check which of these it is first:

If the piece is	Do	Don't
Plain sterling silver (stamped 925 or sterling)	Wash, then polish lightly	Use coarse abrasives
Set with stones or pearls	Wash gently, polish the metal only	Dip it or use the foil method
Gold plated or gold vermeil	Wash; wipe very lightly	Polish hard: it can wear through the gold
Oxidized (blackened in the recesses on purpose)	Wash only	Polish the dark areas
Hollow, or with glued parts	Wash quickly and dry well	Soak or dip it

Sterling silver is at least 92.5% silver under section 23.5 of the FTC Jewelry Guides; the rest is usually copper, which is why it tarnishes. Our guide to whether sterling silver tarnishes explains the chemistry.

Step 1: Wash it

Some dullness on jewelry is grime, skin oil or lotion rather than tarnish, and washing removes it. CCI Note 9/7 describes washing silver with a mild detergent as safe for most objects, then rinsing and drying it with a soft cloth or warm air.

For jewelry:

Fill a small bowl with warm water and a drop of mild detergent.
Soak the piece for a few minutes, then rub gently with your fingers or a soft brush.
Rinse well in clean water. (CCI uses distilled water for museum silver.)
Dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

Often that is all a piece needs.

Step 2: Polish only the tarnish that is left

If yellow, brown or black tarnish remains, polish it, gently and only where you need to. CCI is clear about the cost: each polishing takes away a certain amount of the underlying silver. It also notes that polishes are somewhat abrasive and leave fine scratches, and that general metal polishes remove more silver than silver polishes.

So use the mildest option:

A silver polishing cloth is the simplest choice for jewelry. Rub the tarnished area until it brightens, then stop.
A mild homemade polish. CCI Note 9/11 gives conservators' own recipe: precipitated calcium carbonate (sold as precipitated chalk) mixed with an equal volume of water into a cream-like paste. CCI calls it mild because it does not remove too much of the silver under the tarnish. Apply it with a clean, lint-free cotton pad, rubbing gently in small circles, and change the pad when it gets dirty.
A commercial silver polish, if you prefer. CCI warns that some contain abrasive particles large enough to leave visible scratches, so test it on a hidden spot first.

CCI also says ground chalk, limestone and whiting should not be used on silver, so make sure the chalk you buy is precipitated.

Step 3: Rinse and dry thoroughly

Polish residue left behind looks like white powder in the crevices. CCI's instructions are to rinse off the fine particles, under running water if possible, then pat dry rather than wipe, and make sure no water is left in crevices. For jewelry, that means the links of a chain, the underside of a setting and the inside of a hollow charm.

Methods to be careful with

Silver dips

Dips remove tarnish chemically and fast. CCI lists the risks: they should never be used on objects with sealed hollow parts, because the liquid gets inside; their acids damage some materials; they may be harmful to the user; and silver should be exposed to them as little as possible to avoid pitting. Our advice, following from that: keep dips away from stones, pearls, glued settings and hollow beads, and follow the label exactly if you use one at all.

The aluminum foil method

The popular "foil and hot water" trick is a version of what CCI calls electrochemical cleaning: silver in contact with aluminum in a warm solution of washing soda (sodium carbonate). It removes tarnish without rubbing. CCI's caution is that pitting can occur if the aluminum has become coated or inert. Many home recipes use baking soda instead; CCI's note describes washing soda. Keep this method for plain silver only.

Toothpaste and baking soda pastes

These are common home tips, but neither appears in CCI's guidance, and its warning about abrasive particles that scratch silver applies. We would use a polishing cloth or precipitated chalk instead.

Cleaning gold plated and vermeil silver

Gold plated silver and gold vermeil need a lighter touch, because the gold is a thin surface layer and polishing removes metal. CCI warns that polishing can damage or entirely remove thin plating, and the same logic applies to gold over silver. Wash these pieces as in step 1, dry them carefully, and skip polish on the gold. If dark spots appear where the gold has worn away, that is the silver underneath tarnishing: a soft cloth may brighten it a little, but no polish will put the gold back.

What not to polish

CCI Note 9/11 lists cases where polishing does more harm than good. For jewelry, the ones that matter are:

Oxidized silver, darkened on purpose to give a design depth. Polishing removes the finish.
Plating that is already worn, where polishing removes more of it. That applies to gold-plated silver and vermeil as much as to silver plate.
Lacquered pieces, where the coating would have to come off first.

How to keep it clean longer

Clean silver tarnishes again, and CCI notes that freshly polished silver tarnishes faster than silver with a thin layer of tarnish. The fix is storage, not more polishing: keep pieces in sealed polyethylene bags or with a silver-particle anti-tarnish cloth, away from humidity, rubber and wool. Our guide to whether sterling silver tarnishes has the full list.

For diamond engagement rings, which need a different routine, see how to clean an engagement ring.

Sterling silver pieces, priced

Prices checked on 20 October 2026.

Silver bow pendant on a fine silver chain — Sterling silver at Hey Happiness

Silver stud earrings each set with a round green stone — Sterling silver at Hey Happiness

Hey Happiness prices in euros; the US dollar prices above are what its store returned for US dollars on 20 October 2026, and they can move with the exchange rate.

Sterling silver at Capucinne

Capucinne Logo Stud Earrings

Sterling silver · 1.25mm moissanite

Also sold in gold vermeil ($250); polish vermeil even more gently.

$220 pair

Check price at Capucinne: Capucinne Logo Stud Earrings, Sterling silver (opens in a new tab)

Prices checked October 20, 2026 at Capucinne. Prices change, so confirm at checkout. Product photos: Capucinne. We earn a commission if you buy through these links.

How we researched this

The cleaning methods, cautions and recipe come from the Canadian Conservation Institute's CCI Note 9/7, "Silver: Care and Tarnish Removal," and CCI Note 9/11 on precipitated calcium carbonate silver polish, both by conservation scientist Lyndsie Selwyn, read on 17 and 20 October 2026. CCI writes for museum objects; where we adapt its advice to jewelry, the page says so. The definition of sterling is from section 23.5 of the FTC Jewelry Guides. Product prices were recorded on 20 October 2026 from each store's own listings.

Sources: CCI Note 9/7, Silver: Care and Tarnish Removal; CCI Note 9/11, precipitated calcium carbonate silver polish; CCI, Understanding how silver objects tarnish; FTC Jewelry Guides, 16 CFR 23.5. Prices checked 20 October 2026 at Hey Happiness and Capucinne. JewelEditor Editorial.

How to Clean Sterling Silver Without Wearing It Away

Before you start: what are you cleaning?

Step 1: Wash it

Step 2: Polish only the tarnish that is left

Step 3: Rinse and dry thoroughly