Why Does My Sterling Silver Jewelry Smell Bad? A Practical Guide

Have you ever noticed a strange, almost sulfur-like smell coming from your favorite sterling silver jewelry? It's definitely not the most pleasant experience, and I was completely caught off guard when it happened to me! I love wearing my silver necklaces and rings, so when I detected that odd odor, I knew I had to figure out what was going on. Let me share what I discovered about why this happens and, more importantly, how to fix it.

My Unexpected Discovery: The Smelly Silver Mystery

I've always loved silver jewelry. There’s something classic and elegant about it. Recently, I pulled out a beautiful sterling silver necklace I hadn't worn in a while, and that's when I noticed it – a faint, unpleasant smell. It wasn't overpowering, but it was definitely there, lingering around the pendant. I was puzzled because I always thought of silver as being pretty inert. I began to wonder if it was even real silver.

Why Sterling Silver Can Smell: The Science Behind the Stink

My initial thought was that maybe the necklace wasn’t actually sterling silver. But after doing some digging, I learned that even genuine sterling silver can develop a smell. The key is understanding what sterling silver actually is. It's not pure silver; it's an alloy, meaning it's mixed with other metals, most commonly copper. While the amount of copper in .925 sterling silver (which is the standard) isn't usually enough to cause a smell on its own, it plays a role.

Here's the thing: when sterling silver is exposed to air, the copper in the alloy reacts with sulfur compounds in the environment. This reaction creates tarnish, which is essentially silver sulfide. And that tarnish? That's what causes the smell! It's like a mini science experiment happening right on your jewelry.

My Solution: Cleaning and Preventing the Smell

Once I understood the science, I was determined to get rid of the smell and prevent it from coming back. Here’s what I tried, and what worked:

Cleaning My Sterling Silver

  1. Polishing Cloth: I started by gently polishing the necklace with a silver polishing cloth. This helped remove some of the surface tarnish and immediately reduced the smell.
  2. Soap and Warm Water: For a deeper clean, I used a soft toothbrush, warm water, and a bit of mild soap. I made sure to scrub gently to avoid scratching the silver. I wasn't sure what kind of soap to use, but I just grabbed some gentle hand soap and it worked perfectly.
  3. Drying Thoroughly: After washing, I made absolutely sure to dry the necklace completely. Any lingering moisture can accelerate the tarnishing process.

These steps significantly improved the smell! But I wanted to take it a step further.

I was looking for a new pendant and stumbled upon the Buddhist Yoga Mandala Glamour Girl Famous Wind Kaleidoscope Series Time Glass Gem Necklace Round Pendant Choker Necklace from Blingcharming. I really liked the design, and it seemed like a good replacement for the old pendant. When it arrived, I noticed it had a really nice anti-tarnish coating.

Preventing Future Smells

That's when I realized, I should be taking preventative measures!