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HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR PRECIOUS SILVER JEWELLERY
When you buy silver jewelry, the first thing we want is to be seen as trendy and stylish
In general, buying and wearing silver jewelry is consistently fun. For most people, the hard part is to keep the jewelry looking as good as when you first bought it.
Not many would know this but it is actually quite simple and easy to clean your silver jewelry at home. With a little bit of care and attention from your side along with the right polishing tools and silver cleaners, you can easily care for your jewelry at home. Your silver jewelry or any other silver item will look new and lustrous and last a lifetime.
What is Silver and types of Silver
Even before you begin thinking about cleaning silver at home, you must know what type of silver is used in your jewellery.
Pure silver jewellery or Sterling Silver as it is popularly known and used in all the fourseven jewellery, is usually 92.5% pure.
Sterling Silver (92.5% silver) can remain as good as new with occasional polishing and preventive care The 7.25% of other elements added to sterling silver makes the alloy sturdier and stable, thus making it much easier to clean silver at home.
Tarnishing or oxidation of jewelry is caused when sterling silver is exposed to oxygen or sulfur compounds due to contact with moisture, air, heat, and pollutants. Oxidized or tarnished silver jewelry looks dull and sometimes turns a dark, blackish color. Tarnished silver must not be confused with artistically oxidized silver jewelry. Sometimes jewelry is deliberately oxidized to give it an ‘antique silver jewelry’ look and to highlight certain areas of the jewelry for greater visual impact.
Clean after every use. After every use clean your jewelry with a soft cloth to remove the oil and grime that would have stuck to it from the skingrime it could have been exposed to throughout the day.
Use a professional jewelry polishing cloth. The best way to clean your jewelry is with a professional jewelry polishing cloth. The cloth is treated with cleaning chemicals and not only will the cloth last a long time; it will give you an amazing shine each and every time. Rub gently in a lengthwise motion. Be careful not to pull hard on any joints or clasps as they could get damaged during cleaning.
Use hot water and baking soda. If you find you need more than a polishing cloth, another simple way to clean your silver jewelry is to fill an aluminum pan with really hot (but not boiling) tap water. Add about 2 teaspoons of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir a bit. Add your jewelry and let soak for 10 minutes. Use a soft brush to to scrub away the tarnish that has accumulated. Rinse and dry thoroughly. Please note that it is not advisable to use this method on jewelry with stones or plating as damage could occur.
Never use toothpaste to clean silver jewelryjewelry, as it is very abrasive.
Never dip any silver jewelry in ‘dip’ solutions or commercial cleaning solutions even though it may say that it is for silver jewelry. Dip cleaners will work the first few times, but after that, the silver jewelry may change color and will never look the same.
If the scratches are too deep or the oxidation process has happened over a long period of time, consider having it cleaned and polished by a professional jeweler once. Then you can follow the above steps regularly.
We don’t advise using such solutions for silver jewelry with plating or encrusted with stones since they may react differently with these solutions. We have also mentioned specific cleaning instructions for all fourseven jewelry on our website.
You can’t hide your silver jewellery away to protect it from damage- after all, you spend lots of money just so you could wear it, Right? The interesting thing is wearing your silver jewellery regularly can actually help keep it shiny for longer! The natural oils from the skin help protect and clean the silver jewellery. That doesn’t mean that you wear it all day, every day!
Certain activities and elements like strong chemicals (nail polish, alcohol, perfumes etc.), sweat, chlorine, and harsh sunlight can erode and tarnish your silver over time, so avoid wearing silver jewelry while:
Doing household chores like cooking, cleaning, dishwashing and bathing. Even though pure water doesn’t damage silver, most of the water we come in contact with regularly is not pure and the chemicals in it can easily react with silver.
In swimming pools, while sunbathing or near hot springs. Chlorine and natural sulfur found in such places can be detrimental to the shine of the jewellery, and excessive heat from bathing in hot tubs or while sunbathing can accelerate the chemical reaction.
Getting ready for your parties. Chemicals in lotions and perfumes can lead to tarnished silver.
Exercising, sports or other activities that cause excessive sweating or movements. Wearing jewelry during sleep can also cause scratches!
Once in a while if you forget to remove your jewellery before such activities, make sure to rinse, clean and dry it completely later.
How to Store Your Silver Jewellery
Leaving your jewelry in open jewelry chests, on your nightstand, or just tossed in your purse can cause oxidation due to air exposure. Proper storage can prevent a great deal of damage to your jewelry, maintaining the brilliant shine for longer.
Keep your silver in air-tight bagslike zip-lock packets or good quality and scratch-proof cloth pouches made from silk, satin, etc. Some cloth pouches also have anti-tarnish properties so try to get those if you can.
Store your jewelry in cool and dry places- put your jewelry with a silica gel packet. This storage will add an extra layer of protection by keeping moisture at bay.
Don’t toss multiple pieces of jewelry in a single packet. Bunching your jewelry together can create tangling and excessive scratches and could also break your delicate pieces. Also, remember to unclasp and unhook all your jewelry to avoid scratching.
Polishing Silver Jewellery at Home
Our dainty silver jewellery can lose shine despite our best preventive efforts. Fret not! Its super easy and cost-effective (might I add) to clean silver jewellery at home.
A gentle rub-down with a microfiber or professional jewellery polishing cloth occasionally is good enough to polish your silver jewellery. It is one of the best home remedies to clean silver at home. Maintain upward and downward strokes- don’t rub in circular motions as it can make the tarnishing worse. Use different parts of the cloth to prevent the transferring of tarnish from one area to another. Avoid polishing the parts that have been deliberately oxidised for impact.
For really small pieces like stud earrings, use a Q-tip or earbud to gently remove surface dirt.
Gold Plated silver Jewelry Care
Use soft cotton or a very soft cloth to remove any type of dust and dirt and oil it has acquired. Clean your gold-plated silver jewelry after every use. Softly rubbing the surface of your gold-plated jewelry using a soft jewelry tarnishing cloth also helps restore shine.
Never spray fragrance or alternative sprays while carrying your gold-plated jewelry. Wear your jewelry once you have sprayed on your favorite fragrance, so chemicals on the spray or fragrance don't get affect your jewelry’s metal.
Any fine jewellery needs proper care and maintenance to retain its beauty. Your stunning sterling silver jewelry can remain lustrous for generations if you follow these easy tips and tricks that you can regularly practise at home.
At Fourseven, we understand the sentimental as well as the aesthetic value of priceless and timeless pieces and therefore we make sure to carefully hand wrap our jewellery with love in eco-friendly cloth pouches which you can use for storage. We also provide a professional polishing cloth with our special order jewellery boxes on request, so that you can easily clean silver at home and cherish your jewellery for ages.
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