# Cleaning Amber and Sterling Silver

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-amber-and-sterling-silver/685989>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 13, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-amber-and-sterling-silver/685989 "2014-04-13T03:49:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-amber-and-sterling-silver/685989/1 "2014-04-13T03:49:43Z")

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How do I clean all my amber jewelry that is set in sterling silver? I don’t want to damage the amber, but the silver is getting all yellow & dingy.

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-amber-and-sterling-silver/685989/2 "2014-04-13T04:00:38Z")

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Removing the amber is an option?

I’m not familiar with amber but if I’m worried about my silver polish, I dilute it with water and let it soak overnight.

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**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-amber-and-sterling-silver/685989/3 "2014-04-13T06:40:27Z")

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one of these methods should work [http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Your-Silver-Jewelry](http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Your-Silver-Jewelry)  
I would try the toothpaste or salt + aluminium foil

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-amber-and-sterling-silver/685989/4 "2014-04-13T08:50:04Z")

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DO NOT USE ANY METHOD THAT INVOLVES ALUMINIUM FOIL AND/OR SODA.

You will ruin the surface finish of the silver - it will come out bright and clean (i.e. tarnish free), but with a minutely pitted surface.