Can You Shower With Sterling Silver?

Women are attracted to jewelry to reflect femininity and display social status. It also helps to make them feel confident and attractive. Gold, silver, and platinum are mostly used to make jewelry. There are different types of silver like sterling silver, pure silver, argentium silver, silver-filled, silver-plated, nickel silver, etc. Sterling silver is the most popular type of silver for making jewelry. Its lustrous shine and versatile nature make it a favorite choice for jewelry lovers.

Sterling silver is a high-quality silver that is a combination of pure silver and a small percentage of some other metals. So, a question frequently arises: Can you shower with sterling silver?  To prolong the lifetime of silver jewelry like any jewelry, it should be removed before showering. Let’s discover all things related to showering with sterling silver. It will provide you with valuable insights and practical tips to help you confidently wear your sterling silver pieces without compromising their quality or beauty.

Sterling Silver in Jewelry

Sterling silver is one of the best types of silver in the world of modern jewelry. It consists of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper. The presence of copper makes sterling silver easy to tarnish although the amount of copper is very less in the jewelry. Sterling silver is hypoallergic and the type of silver is relatively harder than other types. So, most people can wear it without any issues.

Extra metals like copper increase the strength and resistance of silver. Jewelry like bracelets, earrings, and rings are made with sterling silver. Look for a “925” stamp somewhere on the jewelry to know if it is made of sterling silver.

Can You Shower with Sterling Silver?

Yes, it is completely fine to take shower with sterling silver, but there are certain concerns to be aware of. Since wearing sterling silver in shower directly cause no visible harms. Still, there are some reactions that occurs in contact with water. Such as: the silver jewelry turns darker over the period of time. It makes them prone and weaker enough to fall off or even breakage. So, jewelry experts around the world and other enthusiasts suggests to not take shower with sterling silver. In return you’ll get longevity out of it and use it to its best. To clear the myth, water doesn’t cause tarnish the silver rather Humidity, salty air, chlorine, perspiration, and household bleach and chemicals does it to the sterling silver.

5 Reasons You Cannot Shower with Sterling Silver

There are several reasons why you cannot shower with sterling silver. The reasons are briefly discussed.

1. Presence of Harsh Chemicals or Chlorine: Water may contain harsh chemicals or chlorine which makes the sterling silver prone to damage while showering with it. Hard water has more chances to change the appearance of silver jewelry. So, you must remove your jewelry before showering in that case.
2. Use of Cleaning Products: You can use a range of cleaning products, like soaps, shower gels which also works like hand soap, shampoos, etc. while taking a shower. Since sterling silver is a very delicate type of metal, these cleaning products may be harmful to the jewelry. Again, if the cleaning products are highly fragranced, it would still be harmful to the silver.
3. Exposure to Hot Water: Your jewelry may eventually start to look lifeless and drab if it is exposed to hot water for an extended period. So, its lifespan can be drastically shortened by being exposed to the hot water that can be present in showering situations. Your sterling silver may tarnish because of the hot water’s humidity. As exposure to hot water while showering can remove the shiny appearance of the silver jewelry, avoid anything that is harmful to the jewelry.
4. Exposure to Steam: Due to oxidation, steam can cause sterling silver to tarnish or turn discolored. When there is too much moisture in the air, such as from humidifiers, hot showers, or steaming pots, this can happen. Since silver is so delicate, steam can also cause warping, bending, and breaking of the metal. Shower steam can loosen settings and let precious stones fall because soft metal isn’t strong enough to hold gemstones in place. So, as the steam may cause it to be softer or looser which tends to damage, you must secure the jewelry while you wear it.
5. Falling or Loss of Jewelry: It can be risky to wear jewelry in the shower as there is a chance that your jewelry will fall or be lost. Especially small jewelry like a ring, pair of studs, earrings, etc. can easily get disappeared because they could fall into the shower tray. So, those should be well stored in a safe place. Make a specific container for keeping the priceless jewelry in the bathroom, and put it there to prevent losing it frequently.

What to Do with the Tarnished Sterling Silver Jewelry?

If your sterling silver jewelry is tarnished because of showering with sterling silver, you need to do the following things. As a result, the tarnish will be easily removed.

Polish the Jewelry: Due to getting tarnished, the color of the metal can alter. But it can be polished to restore the sparkle. To polish sterling silver jewelry, there are two methods.

1. Firstly, you can use soap and water. Pour warm water and mild dish soap into a cup or bowl. Use a cotton swab and a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove dirt before gently hand-washing the silver jewelry. Dry the jewelry thoroughly with a towel after showering. Finally, you should store it in a dry place.
2. Secondly, you can use olive oil (based on their types) and lemon juice. In a bowl, combine these two. Polish sterling silver by dipping a microfiber cloth into the solution and wringing away any excess. Before wearing or storing the jewelry, thoroughly rinse and dry it.

Store Away from Moisture: Do not store the jewelry close to moisture. To maintain the dazzling appearance of the jewelry, you must dry it after every shower and storing in a specific place. If you avoid it, the left moisture will give a brownish yellowish, or black color on the metal jewelry.

So, place it inside a jewelry box. You may also place it in a specific place near your bathroom, but not inside the bathroom.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Although it is safe to shower with sterling silver jewelry, it causes the silver to tarnish due to prolonged exposure to water and cannot withstand harsh chemicals. Again, since water doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals, you can use just water to shower with sterling water.

But, it is recommended not to shower with sterling silver. Rather you should remove it before taking the shower to avoid the damage and getting harmed if it falls off or cause any breakage. While if you still want to shower with sterling silver, it is a must to clean it often. However, always continue the practice of maintaining the shiny and long-lasting sterling silver jewelry that you cherish.

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