Silver is a versatile metal with a soft luster that makes for beautiful jewelry. Everything from silver earrings to necklaces have gained popularity in the last decade.
There is no denying that the love for silver jewellery is universal. However, there’s one problem that many people face when wearing silver.
Unfortunately, silver is pretty fragile compared to many more commonly-used metals, and it can quickly develop tarnish, stains, or scratches. It can also be a bit intimidating to try to clean silver pieces because they are so delicate. However, you don’t have to be a professional or use expensive tools to clean your silver yourself.
Here are some tips to ensure that all your silver jewellery looks new as ever.
Pour two cups of hot water into a bowl. You just need enough to cover the jewelry you’re cleaning. This method works as a gentle cleanser that removes tarnish without abrading the silver. If your silver is lightly tarnished, the salt bath should take the tarnish right off. If you’re cleaning a lot of jewelry at once, you can use more water. For just one piece of jewelry, use less water. If your jewelry has gemstones, make sure they won’t be affected by being submerged in a saltwater solution. This solution is gentle on most stones, but if you’re cleaning very fine jewelry with expensive gemstones, you’re better off taking it to a professional just in case.
Add salt and aluminum foil. Stir one tablespoon of salt it into the hot water with a spoon until it completely dissolves. Take a sheet of aluminum foil and tear off a few strips, then put them in the bowl. The combination of salt and aluminum will react with the tarnish on the silver’s surface and create a bright, shiny surface in place of the tarnish.
Submerge your jewelry in the solution. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Stir it around a bit to see whether the tarnish is going away. When you see that the silver’s shine has been restored, remove the silver from the solution.
Rinse the jewelry. Run it under cool running water to rinse off the salt, then gently dry it using a soft cloth or microfiber towel. The jewelry should be good as new. If you still see signs of tarnish, repeat the process until it looks clean.
Did you know the skin’s natural oils can keep your silver jewellery shiny? This means that the more you wear it, the better! Another important thing is to remove the silver jewellery while doing chores.
It can also be helpful to keep it away from direct sunlight, and as we have always been doing, silver jewellery should always be worn last while you are getting ready.
This would keep it safe from the various cosmetics, perfumes, and make-up products that can increase tarnishing.
Always store silver jewellery in an airtight container, for this you can go with a special jewellery box, but if don’t have one, a zip-lock bag would also do the trick!.
To prevent scratching, each piece should be stored separately in a cool, dark place.