For many centuries silver has captivated men and women and it still does. From the beginning of times silver has been an important metal in manufacturing different objects like: weapons, silver jewelry and coins. It was used for hunting and processing food or for obtaining ornaments and decorative objects. Ancient beliefs said that silver was the metal which symbolized fertility and the female. It was associated with the Moon which was considered women's protector. Silver jewelry was mostly worn in the past by pregnant women to keep away evil spirits. Silver objects and silver jewelry were also used for religious ceremonies. Weddings were and still are perfect occasions for silver gifts like silver jewelry. The usefulness of this precious metal is undisputable and the admiration for it hasn’t stopped in our time either.

In our days, silver is still a very popular metal, being used for different purposes: practical, ornamental and even medical ones. Gold is very often replaced by silver jewelry which has gained an amazing popularity among teenagers. So fashionable today, silver jewelry is associated with style and class because it is easy to wear and match with most of the outfits one could chose to wear, no matter the season, weather or occasion. Silver jewelry, same as each of the articles of your choice, shows a small part of your personality and silver jewelry usually shows simplicity and good taste.

Whether people chose to buy silver jewelry because it is less expensive than gold jewelry, or just because they prefer silver to other metals, the objects they own have to be well protected. You, as the owner of a piece of silver jewelry, have to be able to preserve it the best you can.

When talking about cleaning sterling silver jewelry you first have to know what the term “sterling silver jewelry" refers to. Because pure silver is not practical for silver jewelry, different metals (usually copper) are added and mixed in order to obtain a tougher and more durable metal. So, sterling means a more durable ornament that you surely want to hold on to as much as possible. Perhaps you even want to pass on the family silver jewelry to your grandkids.

Keeping your sterling silver jewelry clean is mainly done by properly storing them. When storing sterling silver jewelry in the open air it will tarnish quickly. This is why it is recommended to keep sterling silver jewelry in air-tight protective bags made of tarnish proof cloth and to avoid wood boxes. Placing the sterling silver jewelry directly on wood surfaces is not indicated as wood, especially oak, contains acids that usually damages silver jewelry surfaces.

If your sterling silver jewelry is already full of fingerprints, make-up or other dirt, you can easily use some warm water and a soft piece of material made of cotton. All you have to do is to gently rub off the impurities on your sterling silver jewelry. The tarnish from your sterling silver jewelry isn’t as easy to clean off as other things are. It is recommended that you use a more powerful cleanser, for example, a special silver paste cleaner or a silver polish spray, which can be easily found on the market, in specialized stores. Abrasive cleansers should be avoided, especially on your sterling silver jewelry which is decorated with delicate gemstones.

Though you might be surprised not to find anything here about the cleansing of the silver jewelry with a regular tooth paste or baking soda, you should know that tooth paste contains many abrasive particle which also deteriorate and damage silver. However popular the toothpaste method might be among sterling silver jewelry fans, it will surely harm the surface of the jewels. This is why many specialists suggest that you should not use such ways to clean silver.

After you have decided on the cleanser you wish to use, you’ll have to remove any trace of the polish from the gemstones. This is easily done if you rinse the surface with clean and warm water. It is indicated that you perform a lengthwise motion and not a circular one which may cause important damages to the sterling silver jewelry surface, or scratch it. For those areas of your silver jewelry that are more difficult to clean, a good suggestion is to use a very soft brush as a rough brush can also deteriorate the quality of your sterling silver jewelry.

The last step you should always keep in mind after cleaning your silver jewelry is to be sure that the silver surface is dry. When storing the decorative objects (as mentioned above, in a special air-tight protective bag), if you leave them wet, they will lose their shine.

Make sure you keep your sterling silver jewelry in shape and wear it as much as you can because it seems that silver is again en-vogue. Protecting it, it’s possible that your children might get to be just as proud of it as you are.