Whether you're dressing up or keeping things casual, you'll rarely go wrong with silver jewelry. Silver is a delicate metal, so it scratches easily. Deep scratches are almost impossible to remove without a professional jeweler's help. If your silver jewelry has fine scratches, though, try using plain toothpaste to buff them out. Toothpaste is a mild abrasive that smooths out scuff marks if they're not too deep. Follow up with silver polish to give jewelry a like-new shine.
Step 1
Dampen the silver jewelry with a small amount of water.
Step 2
Apply a dab of plain toothpaste to the tip of your finger.
Step 3
Rub the toothpaste into the scratched area on the silver jewelry using small, circular motions. Continue until you've covered all of the scratches with a thin layer of toothpaste.
Step 4
Rinse off the toothpaste with warm water, and pat the jewelry dry with a soft cloth.
Step 5
Repeat this process until all scratches disappear.
Step 6
Apply a small amount of silver polish to the jewelry to give it additional shine. Buff the polish into the silver with a clean cloth.
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References
Tips
- If toothpaste doesn't work, the scratches might be too deep. Consider taking the item to a jeweler for repair. Jewelers use silver dip or silver-cleaning wadding to eliminate scratches.
Warnings
- Don't polish silver with whitening or tartar-control toothpaste -- both contain ingredients that can damage the delicate metal.
- Keep silver away from latex, rubber and salt because these things can cause tarnish.
- When storing silver, keep it wrapped in sulfur-free paper or a soft bag designed for jewelry storage. Store each piece separately because silver items can scratch if they're stored together.
Writer Bio
Melissa King began writing in 2001. She spent three years writing for her local newspaper, "The Colt," writing editorials, news stories, product reviews and entertainment pieces. She is also the owner and operator of Howbert Freelance Writing. King holds an Associate of Arts in communications from Tarrant County College.
Photo Credits
Henry Gan/Photodisc/Getty Images