No matter how you came to own the silver antiques, we all want to care for the collectibles in the best way possible. Tarnish is something antique silver owners are familiar with and want to prevent. Follow these four storage hacks to help prevent tarnish on your sterling silver.

Wrap in Acid-Free Tissue Paper

Wrapping your sterling silver before storage will help keep away the chemicals that cause tarnish. This hack will also prevent silver pieces from scratching each other if you store them together. Imagine you go to take out your prized Tiffany and Co. antiques to find them marked because they touched. That would be an unpleasant situation.

You can also use an unbleached cotton muslin if you have that type of blanket on hand. Just ensure it’s unbleached, or you could harm your silver.

Store With a Piece of Regular Chalk

Have you ever dropped your phone or another expensive electronic device into water and then submerged it into a tub of rice? We do this because the rice absorbs the moisture, and sometimes, the devices continue to operate correctly after a nice rice bath.

Putting chalk into the storage bag or box with your sterling silver works the same way. The chalk will absorb moisture that dares to sneak into the storage container. It’s another line of defense against tarnishing.

You won’t need to worry about the chalk marking up your silver because you’ve wrapped it nicely.

Store in Dry, Room-Temperature Places

As tempted as you are to store your sterling silver antiques in the basement or attic, this isn’t the best idea. A hutch, storage cabinet, or drawer is the best place to keep them safe. Avoid storing your sterling silver in areas of your home where the temperature fluctuates often.

Temperature changes bring moisture, and moisture leads to tarnish. Heat and humidity are a no-no for sterling silver.

Purchase Anti-Tarnish Storage Bags

Anti-tarnish storage bags are available on the market. These make storage quick and easy; they offer peace of mind about tarnish prevention. You’ll find various sizes and styles. Some even provide slots to store silverware easily. You won’t need to worry about the pieces clinking together in storage.

We hope you find these hacks helpful when you’re finally ready to put your sterling silver into storage. You can say bye-bye to tarnish and hello to beautiful silver antiques.