To clean tarnished sterling silver, gently rub the metal with a soft polishing cloth made for silver, working along the surface rather than in circles. Avoid dips and abrasives on Native American pieces, since they can strip the intentional dark oxidation in the recesses and damage turquoise or other porous stones.
Reach for a cloth first. A soft polishing cloth made specifically for silver removes light tarnish with nothing more than gentle rubbing along the surface, and it is the safest method for hand-made Native American pieces. Rub in straight strokes rather than circles, turning to a clean part of the cloth as it darkens.
Go gently around the design. Native American silver is often intentionally oxidized — the recessed areas of stampwork and overlay are darkened on purpose so the bright high points stand out. Aggressive polishing, dips, and abrasive pastes strip that deliberate contrast and flatten the piece's depth, so work only the raised, bright surfaces and leave the shadowed recesses alone.
Keep liquids away from the stones. Commercial silver dips and ultrasonic cleaners can seep into bezels and damage turquoise, coral, and other porous stones, which should never be soaked. If a piece is only lightly soiled, a wipe with a barely damp cloth followed by thorough drying is enough; let the metal, not the stone, see any moisture.
For heavier tarnish on plain silver without stones, a little mild soap and warm water on a soft cloth, then a careful dry and a cloth polish, will usually restore the shine. When a piece is valuable, antique, or heavily set with stones, a professional cleaning is the safest choice.
The best cleaning is the cleaning you avoid. Storing silver away from air and putting jewelry on last when dressing keeps tarnish from forming in the first place — see our storage answer and full care notes for the details.