Although wearing your silver jewellery often is the best way to prevent tarnish from building up, regular cleanings of all your silver jewellery will prevent tarnish and keep your silver bright and sparkling.

If there is no tarnish on your silver jewellery, use a phosphate-free detergent to clean jewellery after use. Silver that is used, then gently washed and dried immediately, will seldom require tarnish removal.

For daily cleaning use a non-abrasive jewellery polishing cloth that is impregnated with special jewellery cleaner.

Tarnish is most easily removed when it first becomes visible.

Tarnish is more difficult to remove as it turns yellowish tint to brown and eventually black, requiring professional cleaning.

Sterling silver dips are fast and easy. However, be careful! First, many dips will take the colour and polish off many gemstones. Second, when using a dip, if you leave the jewellery too long, or don,t rinse it well with fresh cold water, white residues will be left on the jewellery when it dries. The residue is difficult to run or pick off. Always read the manufacturers instructions.

These are some of the stones that are not suitable for dipping, pearls, sodalite, malacite, lapis lazuli, white opals, turquoise, and any soft or porous stone. A lot of gemstones shine comes from an oily polish, which is dissolved by the dips.