Can You Shower in Sterling Silver?

Short answer: plain sterling silver can survive a shower. Your gemstones might not enjoy it. And your silver will look better if you don’t make it a habit.

Here’s the longer answer.

What water does to sterling silver

Plain water won’t hurt sterling silver. Silver doesn’t rust. If you forget to take off a silver ring before washing your hands, nothing terrible happens.

The problem isn’t the water. It’s everything else in the shower.

What actually causes trouble

  • Soap and shampoo leave a film that dulls silver and builds up in textured areas.
  • Hard water can leave mineral spots.
  • Some well water contains sulfur, which tarnishes silver fast. If your water smells a little like eggs, take your jewelry off.
  • Leaving it wet speeds up tarnish. Silver that stays damp on your skin darkens faster.

The stones are the bigger concern

Many gemstones don’t like water, soap or heat. Take these off before showering:

  • Ammolite: water can get between the layers, especially in doublets and triplets.
  • Opal and fire opal: sudden temperature changes can stress them.
  • Turquoise: porous, absorbs soap and oils.
  • Pearls: soft and sensitive to chemicals.
  • Druzy: soap residue gets trapped between the tiny crystals.
  • Kyanite: fragile, and a slip on wet tile can crack it.

Harder stones like sapphire, aquamarine and amethyst handle water much better. But the soap still dulls them, and the shower floor is still hard.

What about swimming?

Chlorine pools: take it off. Chlorine reacts with silver and can darken it badly. It can also damage some stones.

Hot tubs: definitely take it off. Heat plus chemicals is the worst combination.

The ocean: saltwater won’t ruin silver in one swim, but it isn’t good for it, and losing a ring in the waves is a real risk. Leave it on your towel.

Sleeping in silver?

Plain sterling studs and simple chains are usually fine. Rings with stones and pendants with sharp edges can get bent, scratched or caught. If you sleep in it, check it now and then.

My simple routine

  1. Jewelry goes on last, after lotion, perfume and hair spray.
  2. It comes off first, before showering, swimming, cleaning or the gym.
  3. If it gets wet, dry it right away with a soft cloth.
  4. Once in a while, wipe it with a polishing cloth. Every order from me includes one.

The bottom line

Can you shower in sterling silver? Yes. Should you? Not every day, and never with soft stones. Thirty seconds of taking it off saves a lot of polishing later.

For more on care, read why your silver is supposed to tarnish. Or browse my sterling silver jewelry.

Confession time: do you shower in your jewelry?

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