The reason your jewellery tarnishes....

Keeping Your Jewellery Clean (and Why It Matters)

One of the loveliest things about silver is that it’s meant to be worn. The warmth of your skin and the gentle friction of day-to-day life keeps it looking bright and happy. Leave it tucked away in a drawer for too long and it begins to sulk… and by sulk, I mean tarnish.

Now before we go any further — a little reassurance. Tarnish is completely natural and not a sign that you’ve done anything wrong. It’s simply oxidisation: silver reacting with oxygen and sulphur in the air. Depending on how long it’s been left, it might show up as anything from a soft dullness, to a slight golden tone, to a deep charcoal black.

If yours looks a little gloomy, don’t worry — I promise it’s reversible nine times out of ten.

What Causes Tarnish?

Oxidisation is the main culprit, but there are a few things that accelerate it:

Chlorine (pools, spa days, cleaning products)
Bleach (in many household sprays)
Hairspray & perfume (the alcohol in them speeds things along)
Sweat (especially during exercise)
Humidity (bathrooms are the worst place to store jewellery)
Certain foods (boiled eggs and onions are surprisingly strong offenders due to sulphur)

Silver isn’t being dramatic — it just has its boundaries.

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When to Take It Off

As much as I encourage you to wear your jewellery, there are certain moments when popping it in a pouch is the kinder choice:

🧼 When Cleaning

Household cleaning products often contain bleach, which fast-tracks tarnish and can affect finishes. If you’re about to tackle the bathroom with zealous enthusiasm, take your jewellery off first.

🏊 Pool & Spa Days

Chlorine is a classic jewellery villain. I once had a customer contact me after a blissful spa day where she’d hopped between sauna, steam and hydro pool — only to find her silver necklace had shifted from sparkling to a brassy gold tone. A good polish and a whirl through my tumbler brought it right back, but it’s far easier to avoid the drama altogether.

💪 At the Gym

Sweat increases tarnish, but there’s also the practical side of metal meeting metal. Dumbbells, bar grips and rings do not get along. Not to mention the risk of pinging a claw setting or catching a gem. Remove it, enjoy your workout, and reunite afterwards feeling smug and accomplished.

🛏️ Sleeping

A divisive one! It isn’t the end of the world, but sleeping in chains can stretch them, and snagging earrings on a pillowcase isn’t fun. It’s also how people lose studs — one minute they’re in, the next they’re in the duvet cover.

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How to Clean Silver at Home

For most day-to-day jewellery, a gentle at-home clean works beautifully:

1. Polishing cloth:
The quickest win. Rub gently — no need for elbow grease.

2. Warm soapy water:
Use mild dish soap (no antibacterial varieties), let it soak for 10–15 minutes, then brush with a baby toothbrush. Perfect for removing sunscreen, moisturiser and general life-gunge from around settings.

3. Dry thoroughly:
Trapped moisture is one of the sneakiest accelerators of tarnish.

Avoid anything abrasive — silver is relatively soft and scratches easily.
And please, please don’t use toothpaste… it’s a myth and it causes micro-scratches!

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What a Jeweller Can Do

Sometimes a piece needs a little more help. In my workshop I use a tumbler — a rotating bath of warm water, soap and tiny steel shot. It runs for over an hour and brings silver up beautifully without removing any metal.

For older pieces, intricate chains, or gemstones, I can also use an ultrasonic cleaner — it vibrates grime loose from the nooks that even a toothbrush can’t reach.

And if a piece has really been through the wars (garden centres, chlorine, netball, the drawer of doom…) a combination of ultrasonic + tumbler works wonders.

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Storing Jewellery Thoughtfully

If you’re giving things a break between wears:

✔ keep pieces in little pouches or boxes
✔ avoid windowsills (UV + humidity)
✔ pop in an anti-tarnish strip
✔ keep silver away from costume jewellery (they react differently)
✔ don’t store in bathrooms (humidity is the enemy)

Silver prefers being worn, but it appreciates a restful nap — just not a steamy one.

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A Few Little FAQs I’m Asked in the Shop

“Is tarnish the same as dirt?”
No — tarnish is a chemical reaction, dirt is just… dirt. You can have both at the same time.

“Does gold tarnish?”
Solid gold doesn’t tarnish, but it can still dull with oils and cosmetics.

“Can I shower in my jewellery?”
Silver will cope short-term, but hard water + shampoo + conditioner isn’t ideal long-term.

“Why does my friend’s silver stay shiny but mine darkens?”
Body chemistry plays a part — we all have different PH levels and we all wear different products and perfumes.

The Moral of the Story

Jewellery loves to be worn and it loves to be clean. A tiny bit of care once a month keeps it looking the way it did the day you fell for it.

If you can’t find the polishing cloth that came with your Claire Howard Jewellery pieces, just send me a message — I can pop a new one in the post for you. They’re small but mighty.

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