Most women and more and more men are wearing silver earrings. In fact, most women enjoy wearing different styles of silver earrings including silver hoop earrings, silver chandelier earrings, silver stud earrings, and silver earrings made with all types of precious and semi precious stones.

    There is nothing more beautiful that a pair of brilliantly polished sterling silver earrings, and there is nothing quite as ugly as silver earrings that have been allowed to oxidize to the dull gray color so typical of silver in need of polishing.

    Traditionally, sterling  silver earrings have been cleaned with mild phosphate free detergent solutions, baking soda, non-abrasive toothpaste and commercial silver cleaners. If you are using products that you already have around the house, avoid bleach, ammonia, acetone, or alcohol, as these will do permanent damage.

    Use a very soft bristled brush like a baby’s tooth brush or a mushroom brush and avoid hard bristled brushes like the plague as they will leave permanent scratch marks. Brush in an up and down fashion rather than in a circular pattern to also avoid scratching.

    The best and safest drying or polishing cloth should be 100% unbleached cotton. Usually old sweat shirts, t-shirts, cotton balls, and small pieces of soft flannel make excellent polishing cloths.

    If you’re in a hurry and your favorite pair of silver hoop earrings is looking a little tarnished, you can use one of the little commercial silver polishing cloths that are either given away when you purchase your silver earrings, or can be bought in department stores in the jewelry counter, or you can find them online.

    Store sterling silver earrings in a clean, dry, dark place as in a jewelry box, but make sure the box is lined, as some wood finishes will tarnish silver.

    Before putting them in the storage container, place them in an airtight bag make of Polyethylene or Mylar or wrap them in a tarnish proof cloth.

    Store silver earrings separately from other pieces of jewelry to avoid them being scratched form repeated searches through your jewelry box.

    By following these simple care and storage steps, not only will you be able to enjoy your silver earrings over your lifetime, but you will also be able to pass them on as heirlooms to future generations.