Comments on: Silica Gel Packs for Preventing Tarnish on Jewelry?

By: Anita Campbell

Anita Campbell — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 13:30:56 +0000

I have used the silica bags for my jewelry BUT also put the bags inside a ziplock plastic bag to prevent/slow down tarnish. Since I used to do a lot of outside craft shows (now non-existent due to Covid 19), I would keep my extras in little plastic bags with silica to prevent tarnish. Those jewelry items I have on my carousels (earrings), I have put larger silica bags inside the rouge cloth bags I sewed up to hinder tarnish and it seems to work. They are available in 2 sizes on Amazon and are relatively inexpensive. The cloth can be obtained from some craft stores that sell fabric, but like most everything nowadays, it can be obtained thru Amazon but it is sold in bolts and other pieces.

By: Patricia C Vener

Patricia C Vener — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 11:53:27 +0000

In reply to Kelsey.

Kelsey, how long do they need to bake and can you still use the oven for food baking?

I am going to have to start saving those gel packs!

Thanks!

By: Sande Gene

Sande Gene — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 20:37:01 +0000

Ladies
You can also purchase jewelry fabric that is tarnish proof from a fabric store. It comes in bolts, of course, but I purchase a quarter yard and cut it in strips and then cut into square sizes to put into each plastic bag and it never expires. If I need a larger piece, it is also available from the bolt cut. I really love it. Sandee

By: Pamela Kramer

Pamela Kramer — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 23:22:26 +0000

In reply to Dianne Jacques. Great suggestions. Where do you order your polishing cloths from that you include with every order?

By: Jane Jennings

Jane Jennings — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 20:20:40 +0000

In my experience, silica or tarnish strips are unnecessary if storing sterling silver in ziplock bags. The bag keeps the air out and things stay bright inside.

By: Jenee Mohler

Jenee Mohler — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 19:50:31 +0000

My husband is a pharmacist, and gets silica packets in with every shipment, and in every bottle they dispense from.
He suggests hitting up your local pharmacist to save some for you. Reduce, reuse, recycle!

By: Dawn Carpino

Dawn Carpino — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 15:12:25 +0000

In reply to Dianne Jacques.

Hi Dianne,
Where do you buy your polishing cloths?
Thanks,
Dawn

By: Kelsey

Kelsey — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 14:06:11 +0000

In reply to Marlene Ilecki.

Marlene,

Thank you for mentioning the need to recharge the silica gel. I used to work for a museum conservation lab and we used to bake our silica gel periodical at 225 degrees F to get the moisture all out. We would d o all the gel packs in the museum (most about the size of a men’s sock filled with pellets) at once, so baking was the way to go for us, but I love the idea of microwaving them. Brilliant!

-Kelsey

By: Marlene Ilecki

Marlene Ilecki — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 12:02:51 +0000

Marlene,
I use the gel packs with my finished sterling silver pendants. They work well.
They need to be recharged periodically, but that’s easy. You just put them in the microwave on low for two minutes and your good to go.

By: Dianne Jacques

Dianne Jacques — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 11:57:37 +0000

Hi Barbara, Silica gel absorbs humidity. Tarnish on copper is a reaction between copper & oxygen ions. Moisture acts as a catalyst and will speed up this process somewhat, but if there is oxygen, there will be tarnish on copper. I have a bucket of DampRid in the closet where I store my jewelry trays to reduce humidity. I give all my silver and copper jewelry a final polish prior to shipping and include a small polishing cloth with every order.

By: Dianne Jacques

Dianne Jacques — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 11:41:54 +0000

In reply to Victoria. Victoria, great way to recycle!

By: Barbara S.

Barbara S. — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 03:26:16 +0000

Thanks for your comments!

I ordered some packs from Amazon, put them in sealed ziplock bags, with the necklaces.

Time will tell!

Barbara

By: Lorna

Lorna — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 19:21:02 +0000

I make sterling silver jewellery and I have found that the anti tarnish bags. I include the bag in the boxes with the purchased piece to help my customers keep their jewellery sparkling.

Unfortunately I don’t know if they would work with other mediums, but as they are not very expensive they may be worth a try.

Must admit I have never thought of using the sachets. Might try it on a piece to see if it would work for my silver stash.

By: Victoria

Victoria — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 00:31:37 +0000

I use every silica gel pack I can get my hands on. The best ones I have found are the ones from medication bottles and the larger “pillows” from shoe boxes but I’ve found any and all work well.

I work with copper wire and store my clean, finished pieces in a ziplock bag with a silica gel packet. I squeeze as much air as possible out of the bag before sealing it. It can be weeks between markets for me and my jewellery is always ready for display.

By: Linda Virta

Linda Virta — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 14:20:32 +0000

I also put the packets in my jewelry box. I just put in whatever size packet I have. You might want to look at Joann Fabric site. They sell a number of inexpensive anti tarnish boxes. I also found they sell just the dividers separately that are anti tarnish for up to 3 years. I put my sterling silver cast pieces in one of these boxes that are for uncompleted jewelry projects. No tarnish so far. Haven’t tried it for copper yet.

By: Denise

Denise — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 12:37:08 +0000

I use the silica packets to help keep the moisture away from my copper foil strips for stained glass. I use them in a ziplock bag. I’ve had some copper foil for a couple of years and it is still sticky with no signs (green) of oxidation. I would guess that it might work for copper jewelry too. Good luck!