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Does Real Sterling Silver Rust?
No, real sterling silver doesn’t rust. Rusting is a process that occurs when iron or steel is exposed to oxygen and moisture. But sterling silver is not made of iron. Instead, it’s an alloy mostly made of pure silver and other metals, like copper.
Sterling silver can tarnish, which is a chemical process that changes the color of the metal over time.
Right below I covered the most commons questions people have about silver rusting+ the cleaning process.
Use these jump links to go there faster.
- Does Silver Rust or Tarnish?
- Does Fake Silver Rust? What About Jewelry Made of Fake Sterling Silver?
- Does Silver Bullion Rust?
- Does Sterling Silver Cubic Zirconia Rust?
- Does Silver Rust When Exposed to Chlorine?
- Does Silver Rust When Exposed to Water?
- Does Silver Corrode When Exposed to Moist Air?
- Does Silver Corrode When Exposed to Bleach?
- Does Silver Corrode When Exposed to Vinegar?
- Does Silver Corrode When Exposed to Lemon Juice?
- Are Different Types of Silver (800, 925, 999) Susceptible to Rust?
Table of Contents
Does Silver Rust or Tarnish?
Silver doesn’t rust. Rusting is a process where iron or steel reacts with oxygen and water in the environment, forming a reddish-brown flaky substance called rust (iron oxide). Sterling silver is neither iron nor steel hence it can’t rust.
It can tarnish and corrode though.
Does Fake Silver Rust? What About Jewelry Made of Fake Sterling Silver?
Fake silver can rust if your “pure silver” jewelry is actually mostly made of iron or steel. For example, you have an authentic silver ring which turns out is only silver-plated with base made or steel.
As the sliver plate flakes off the steel base will get exposed to air moisture and over time start to oxidize and rust.
Does Silver Bullion Rust?
Silver bullion (silver coins and bars) will not rust if they’re truly made of authentic sterling silver (for example IRA-approved silver coins you can have as part of your silver IRA account). Fake silver coins and bars with thin silver plate and iron/steel base will eventually and inevitably start to oxidize.
But true silver coins and bars won’t.
Note: you have nothing to worry about if you bought your silver bullion from a legitimate gold investment company like Augusta Precious Metals.
Yes, beside being a legitimate gold IRA provider, Augusta also sell genuine silver bullion to interested US investors.
Does Sterling Silver Cubic Zirconia Rust?
No, sterling silver cubic zirconia doesn’t rust. CZ is a tough material that’s resistant to scratches and rust. And true sterling silver can never rust, only tarnish and corrode.
Does Silver Rust When Exposed to Chlorine?
No, silver doesn’t rust when exposed to chlorine. Only iron and steel can oxidize and rust. However, chlorine can corrode and weaken silver, which leads to permanent structural damage.
While technically not rusting, the corroding process is similar and the end result is similar too.
Bottom line is that you don’t want to expose your precious silver item to chlorine.
Does Silver Rust When Exposed to Water?
No, silver doesn’t rust when exposed to water. Only iron can oxidize and rust, and silver and other metals can’t rust.
However, silver tarnishes when exposed to water, especially if you leave your silver item submerged for a couple of hours.
Does Silver Corrode When Exposed to Moist Air?
No, silver doesn’t corrode in moist air. However, silver tarnishes when exposed to sulfur compounds present in the air which is often the cause of the blackening seen on silver items.
Does Silver Corrode When Exposed to Bleach?
Yes, silver corrodes in bleach. Bleach is a strong chemical that can rapidly degrade and corrode any pure silver object that comes in contact with it.
Does Silver Corrode When Exposed to Vinegar?
No, silver doesn’t corrode when exposed to vinegar. In fact, you can use vinegar to remove tarnish from your silver items.
That said, never use only vinegar to clean your silver item. Over time, undiluted vinegar will corrode your silver.
Does Silver Corrode When Exposed to Lemon Juice?
Yes, silver corrodes when exposed to lemon juice. Lemon juice is highly acidic and prolonged exposure to it corrodes sterling silver and permanently damages it.
You can however use lemon juice to efficiently remove tarnish from your sterling silver items. The secret is you don’t want lemon juice to be touching your silver item’s surface for too long.
Are Different Types of Silver (800, 925, 999) Susceptible to Rust?
800, 925 and 999 silver types are not susceptible to rust. These marks indicate the purity of silver and not whether silver can rust or not.
- 925: The most common mark for sterling silver, which is 92.5% pure silver;
- 999: Fine silver, which is 99.9% pure silver;
- 800: 80% pure silver or lower quality than sterling silver.
Does Sterling Silver Rust or Not (Conclusion)?
Sterling silver doesn’t rust. No other types of silver can rust. Silver can only tarnish and corrode.
If you have questions LMK in the comment section below.
Nikola Roza
Nikola Roza is a blogger behind Nikola Roza- SEO for the Poor and Determined. He writes for bloggers who don't have huge marketing budget but still want to succeed. Nikola is passionate about precious metals IRAs and how to invest in gold and silver for a safer financial future. Learn about Nikola here.
