This is a great video demonstration of an amazingly easy way to clean your sterling silver pieces using some common household products. Most of us have these household items around the house already and this easy method will make cleaning your silver pieces a snap! This is Public TVs Graham Haley showing you how to get your silverware to “clean itself”. Some really amazing results with almost no work, and very quick! He does point out that you should not use this technique on silver jewelry with stones in it, or black antique silver items. Check out the video here.

Going to eBay and putting down a bunch of cash on a sterling silver jewelry item sight unseen is a frightening thought for many people. But if you are careful there are some amazing bargains available and you can come away with some real deals, almost as if you had bought wholesale sterling silver jewelry.

The key is to approach buying the jewelry you are interested in as unemotionally as possible. It is easy to get swept up in the bidding or in the dreams of buying and owning a particular piece of jewelry, and that’s when your emotions overcome your good sense.

So what are some rules to follow when buying sterling silver jewelry on eBay? Here are a few that might make the difference between a good buying experience and a bad one.

1. Check the seller’s feedback section. You want a seller who has a history of selling the types of items you are interested in. You should mentally pick a feedback rating that you are comfortable with, and rarely consider those sellers who drop below your minimum. Some buyers use a 97% positive rating as a guideline, and others are willing to gamble a bit and go lower.

2. Read some of the negative feedback comments. You can probably ignore the ones that look like they might be from new buyers who have not contacted the seller and given them time to correct a problem. You are looking to see if there is a pattern you can spot, which would show that the seller is not someone you would want to do business with.

3. Carefully look at the listing and find pictures of the sterling silver jewelry you want to bid on. You want to make sure that the jewelry pictured is what you will be bidding on, and not that it is just a stock photo of a similar item. If in doubt, email the seller. If you don’t get a reply then that is probably not a person you want to do business with anyway.

By doing your research and bidding carefully, you can frequently find bargains on eBay and can locate sellers of discount sterling silver jewelry whose auctions you can trust.

Because exposure to the air will accelerate the tarnishing of your precious sterling silver items, whenever possible you should store them in an airtight silverware chest. If this is not something you have then you can use Tupperware or even bags made of cloth that is tarnish resistant.

Some things you should not do is to store sterling silver items loose in drawers. Beside being exposed to the air in a drawer, they can also be easily scratched. In addition, some woods actually contain acids that will stain your silver. Other things people sometimes do that damages their sterling silver is to wrap in newspaper, plastic, or foil, or bind silverware together with rubber bands. Also be sure to keep your silver away from direct sunlight and dampness.

A little bit of extra time spent in care will go a long way in preserving your precious silver items.

The universal fineness mark for sterling silver is .925 (Post 1970’s) which is stamped inside the item for identification as sterling silver. Sterling is a beautiful metal that will last for generations with the proper care.

Although silver tarnishes when exposed to air, wearing sterling silver (in the case of jewelry), even in the shower, will keep it bright and shinny. Many people are concerned about their sterling silver tarnishing, but if you use it every day, it will actually tarnish less. This is because frequent use removes the need for polishing. After some time, your sterling silver will develop a warm, rich tone called a “patina”. A slightly darker shading (oxidation) in the design will develop and enhance the definition of the pattern which can be desirable.

In most cases Sterling Silver should be cleaned immediately after use, especially after contact with food that may cause corrosion or contain acids such as tomatoes, eggs, salt or mayonnaise.

• Wash the pieces in hot soapy water using a mild soap
• Rinse in clean hot water
• Dry immediately to avoid spotting

NOTE: Avoid lemon scented detergents and those containing chloride as they can be harmful to the silver.

o not soak your silver overnight because prolonged immersion in water may damage the metal. Washing in a dishwasher is not recommended, as the extreme temperatures may loosen hollow-handled pieces. If you do use a dishwasher, remove the pieces before the drying cycle.

Remember, your sterling silver is to be worn, displayed and enjoyed.