Caring For Your Silver Jewelry
Silver is a relatively soft metal, which is what makes it perfect for creating jewellery. Taking a few simple steps will help keep your items looking like new.
Cleaning Silver Jewelry
Use a good quality silver cleaning cloth, which is impregnated with cleaning chemicals, to help remove any tarnishing and maintain the shine.
Silver can also be cleaned with warm soapy water using a mild dishwashing liquid, which is ideal for items with stone settings. Be careful if using an old toothbrush to clean difficult places as the bristles can cause scratching on the surface of sterling silver.
Rinse well with warm water and then dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.
Never apply undiluted detergents directly to the silver as some contain phosphates, which can react with the material, causing the surface to turn brown.
If possible avoid the use of chemical dips as they can cause damage to the item as some remove the tarnishing by eating away at the surface of the jewellery. If you do use a commercial silver dip chemical however, make sure that the items are rinsed well after dipping to prevent any stains. The effect of the chemical can be neutralized by rinsing with mild washing-up liquid and warm water.
Storing Your Silver Jewelry
Always remove items before carrying out manual work to help prevent damages and scratches.
When storing the jewellery, everyday plastic sealable food storage bags provide a good and cheap way to protect the items from tarnishing.
Separate individual items to prevent scratches and ensure that the jewellery is dry before sealing as moisture trapped in the back can cause corrosion. Some studies have shown that poor quality plastic emits gases, which can actually cause tarnishing. Therefore make sure that you use a good quality polyethylene bag.
