Cleaning silver and gold jewelry can be a pain, especially here in Hawaii. Humidity, sweat, moisturizers, sunscreen, even the medications you take — all of it accelerates tarnish. And to answer the question we've been asked thousands of times since 1997: yes, all sterling silver will tarnish. Real silver changes color. It's not a flaw — it's what the metal does.
So how do you clean it? You can dip it, rub it, tumble it, or spray it. Here are our four favorite methods — products we've carried and used ourselves for ten to twenty years. None of them replace each other, and sometimes we use them together. They all work.
Shine Brite — The Quick Dip
This is the fastest option. Dip your jewelry in, take it out, and the tarnish is gone. It's a chemical solution that dissolves tarnish on contact.
- Dip your piece in the solution and remove it — just a few seconds
- Rinse with water (a little soap is fine)
- Dry immediately to avoid water spots
Important: do not dip porous stones like turquoise or pearls. The solution will dull their surface. Stick to metal-only pieces or remove stone components first. And wash your hands after — it's strong stuff.
Watch the demo: Shine Brite Jewelry Cleaning in Seconds
The Tumbler — The Powerhouse
This is the strongest and most efficient method. A rotary tumbler with stainless steel shot doesn't just clean your jewelry — it polishes, burnishes, and work-hardens the metal. Metal workers can't live without this tool.
- Place your jewelry, loose silver beads, or findings in the rubber barrel
- Add the stainless steel shot, water, and a drop of soap
- Close the barrel, set it in the tumbler, turn it on, and walk away — thirty minutes to overnight
- Pour everything through a strainer to separate shot from jewelry
- Dry your shot completely before storing it back in the barrel (wet shot rusts)
The tumbler is especially great for batch cleaning — drop in all your chains, findings, and finished pieces at once. Everything comes out with a mirror polish.
Watch the demo: How to Use a Tumbler to Clean and Polish Jewelry
Sunshine Polishing Cloth — The Manual Method
This is the most hands-on option, but it's also the most portable. The Sunshine cloth has a micro-abrasive treatment that removes a microscopic layer of the outer metal surface, leaving it smooth and bright. Unlike cloths with rouge, this one is non-toxic — you can breathe freely while polishing.
- Rub your jewelry with the cloth using firm pressure
- Rinse and dry your piece to remove any fibers
Never wash the cloth. Once it gets too dark, use the old one as your first-pass polisher and follow up with a newer one. We keep a stack of retired cloths at the bench for exactly this.
Watch the demo: Sunshine Polishing Cloth at The Bead Gallery
QuikBrite — The Gentle Protector
This is the safest of the four. QuikBrite is an enzyme-based spray that removes body oils, grime, and general buildup from all jewelry and stones — including precious stones that you can't dip in chemical solutions.
- Spray your pieces generously in a small dish
- Let it work, then rinse and dry
- Store cleaned pieces in airtight bags to prevent future tarnish
Here's the key distinction: QuikBrite won't remove existing tarnish, but it prevents tarnish from forming. It's proactive maintenance — clean your jewelry with this after wearing it, and it stays bright much longer between deep cleans. It's biodegradable, non-toxic, non-acidic, and non-corrosive. We use it in the kitchen too.
Which One Should You Start With?
If you're only going to buy one thing, start with the Sunshine cloth — it's inexpensive, it works on almost everything, and you'll use it constantly. Add Shine Brite when you want speed, QuikBrite for stone-safe maintenance, and the tumbler when you're ready to clean everything at once and get that professional finish.
We carry all four at the store and we're happy to demo any of them for you. Bring in a tarnished piece and we'll show you the difference in person.