The problem with any type of sterling silver jewellery is that it’s susceptible to two main things: tarnishing and scratches. Although sterling silver does tarnish, it’s usually quite easy to get it cleaned and back to its former state.
In this short article, I’ll be giving some tips on keeping your jewellery shiny. Also, feel free to add any tips, even those old wives tales, that have worked for you at the end of this article.
Looking after your silver jewellery:
- Although this tip is pretty obvious (I’ll say it anyway!): not to wear any jewellery whilst doing any major work, i.e. gardening, decorating, or welding the family car back together.
- Wearing silver jewellery whilst participating in any sporting activity can tarnish the silver due to the acidity in the sweat.
- Remove your silver jewellery before you shower/bath, or taking a dip in the public baths or the sea. With bathing at home, you’ll find that soap will create a film that makes the piece dull over time. Chlorine in the public baths and salt in the sea can discolour the silver.
- Most household cleaning products, will over time, cause an adverse reaction, i.e. when doing the dishes, or cleaning the bath
- Humidity: for those who live in humid countries, place a small packet of desiccant crystals in something like a jewellery box. The crystals keeps the air dry by absorbing the water in the air, (no Dark Arts are involved here, just plain old science!).
Now I’ve described what to avoid in keeping your silver jewellery free from tarnishing, I’ll soon describe the best ways in keeping all your pieces clean.
I’ve included an interesting YouTube video below, where Prismera (of the website Minding Prismera Fashion and Design), shows an interesting and simple way of cleaning your silver jewellery with a common household product.
Other sources of info:
Some techniques on cleaning jewellery that would come under the ‘old wives tale’ section, or would it? BBC Cleaning Jewellery.
