Every piece of jewellery you own has its own story, whether a treasured gift or something you bought yourself to mark a special occasion or just because you loved it! So, it deserves to be kept looking it’s best.🤩
Follow these tips to keep your silver jewellery looking brilliant.
Your skin excretes natural oils, so wiping your pieces down every now and then will help prevent any build-up, which could also dull their shine.
Before you decide to clean the house, take off your jewellery, as household cleaners can damage metals and gemstones and you may end up having to clean your jewellery too!
Do nor swim or shower in your jewellery, sun, sand,salt and chlorine can all affect silver.
Remove your jewellery before exercise, as silver and sweat don’t go well together!
Make up, hairsprays and perfume all affect silver, so make it a habit to make jewellery the last thing you put on before going out. (Pearls also react badly to perfume).
Surprisingly ,silver that is used regularly typically needs less care and anyway, who wants to leave jewellery languishing in a box somewhere!.
How best to clean your jewellery
For day-to-day maintenance, a soft cloth - like one you might use to clean glasses - is ideal for wiping fingerprints off gemstones. Opt for a microfibre cloth; a paper towel could lightly scratch the metal, or potentially make scratches appear more visible.
For a more thorough clean, all you need is a soft toothbrush (preferably a child’s one) and a bowl of tepid soapy water. Gently scrub your jewellery, and be sure to get underneath rings to clean out any dried-up lotion or soap.
Specialist silver polishing cloths are also very useful. They are 100% cotton infused with special silver cleaners. These clever silver dusters will help bring your jewellery back to life, essentially lifting off dirt, grease and fingerprints. (Eg Goddard’s longterm silver polishing cloth or Hegarty’s Silver Cloth.)
Remove pendants from their chain before rubbing the pendant between the cloth (using a silver cloth may weaken a chain by pulling on the links, so be gentle.
Jewellery with cultured freshwater pearls should never be soaked. Instead they should be cleaned with a dry or damp microfibre cloth, making sure they are completely dry before storing in a bag to prevent scratches.
Tarnished silver will turn a darkish grey-black colour and is most easily removed when it first appears. If badly tarnished try the above methods, and if that doesn’t work try a silver polish, such as Goddards silver polish or Silvo. NB. Don’t use on any other metal.
I do not recommend using toothpaste or baking soda to clean your jewellery. I also don’t recommend commercial Silver Dips. They certainly bring up to a great shine in minutes but the silver becomes tarnished again more quickly.
NB. Please note that polishing cloths should NOT be used on any of my Satin/Matt finished items(many of the items in the“Inspire” range) as they will wear away the finish to a shine. Instead use the tepid soapy water with toothbrush routine mentioned above. If necessary soak the piece for a few minutes.
Storing your jewellery correctly
Keep your favourite pieces safe In a cool dark place, free from moisture and humidity
Add any little silica bags you find to your jewellery box/bags as they soak up the moisture.
Chains that tangle easily should be fastened before being put away.
I know we are all trying to reduce use of plastic, but putting your favourite pieces into a little ziplock bag prevents moisture buildup and avoids scratching. (Please reuse the bags).
If you find your jewellery arrives with a small piece of white tissue in the box, this is anti tarnish tissue paper and can be used to wrap your jewellery in when storing.
You may also find a little complimentary polishing square. Please remember these should NOT be used on satin/matt finishes.
Regular use of a silver cloth removes light tarnish and inhibits re-tarnishing, prolonging the original sparkle of your silver. This can be done before storage and when it comes out of storage to be worn.
Please feel free to return your Original Strands jewellery to me and I will bring it back to life with a complimentary polish!