Why does silver tarnish?

Sterling silver is an alloy of silver and base metals such as copper.  The copper then reacts with sulphur-containing gases in the air to form a layer of the compound copper sulphide.  Pure silver is less prone to tarnish, but will still react to form silver sulphide.

The colour of tarnish on silver changes as tarnishing develops. 

Fingerprints and perspiration from hands contain salts, oils, moisture, that are then transferred onto the metal surfaces and can lead to a noticeable corrosion, especially on polished metal surfaces. Sodium chloride (salt) from fingerprints reacts with silver to form silver chloride, which is light sensitive and can darken over time, resulting in fingerprint stains that are highly noticeable and unsightly on polished pieces.

In addition even the materials used for packaging can also promote tarnishing. 

To prevent surface damage and excessive wear, clean silver with the correct materials, as infrequently as possible There are many commercially available products in the form of pastes, dips and cloths. A quick search on the internet will also provide you with many weird and wonderful ways to clean your silver, but be aware that they may have consequences. Aluminium foil, baking soda, toothpaste, detergents and vinegar are all common remedies but may all cause long term damage to the silver.

Light cleaning with specialist silver cloths will avoid the need for abrasive cleaners. Always go gently. As you clean, consider the overall appearance of the piece. In some cases, such as pieces with decoration, removing all the tarnish can leave a piece looking lifeless. You don't necessarily want a spotless surface.  If you have a highly polished piece, even gentle cleaning with a cloth may produce hair line scratches.

The oddest cause of tarnish is ones own natural PHD balance. No matter what precautions you take, your skin will make your silver tarnish prematurely.  It often turns a green colour.

 For those items which are not often used or worn, make sure you keep them in dry conditions. Keep those ‘Do Not Eat’ silica gel sachets and store them with your silver. These will help to absorb some of the moisture in the atmosphere. Never keep you silver in a damp room.  This is a definite no-no!

When storing silver, use special tarnish-reducing bags and jewellery pouches to protect silver from dust and scratching. Do not wrap silver in newspaper as this will rapidly tarnish it, nor seal in bubble wrap or plastic as these trap moisture.

You can purchase special silver clothes designed for cleaning your pieces.  Storing silver in a wooden draw or cabinet can accelerate the tarnish process.   

The truth is that even if you avoid these triggers, your silver will become tarnished over time.