| Silver is a beautiful metal that out shines most jewelry any day. But sadly it easily develops a black tarnish. Cleaning silver is not hard at all. It can be done in a few steps and in little time. Do not be afraid to glamour yourself in silver. You will love how it looks. When silver is exposed to the outside a chemical reaction occurs causing the unsightly tarnish. The more moist the climate, the faster it tarnishes. If you take care of it, silver can last a lifetime. Cleaning To keep your jewelry clean and ready to wear use a smooth soft 100% cotton cloth to gently wipe each piece of jewelry clean of make-up and skin oils after each wearing. Remember silver is a very soft metal and you can scratch it if you aren't careful so don't rub it too briskly. Never use anything but a clean 100% cotton or a special sterling silver cleaning cloth or very soft bristle brush, like a babies tooth brush or a horsehair silver brush. Rub with a lengthwise motion, never clean in a circular motion because this may cause scratches. Many will leave the tarnish in the deep crevices to enhance the look of the piece. Some people use toothpaste to clean their sterling silver, but most silver experts caution against it because they feel toothpaste is too abrasive and leaves dulling scratches. Be sure to remove any cleaner from the gemstones and rinse carefully with clean water. Be very careful with patiniaed or darkened areas on silver, Silver polish can remove the color. Tarnishing Tarnish appears as a golden haze on your silver and then it will turn to black. This is why it is important to store in the proper places. If it does turn black, you can always clean it to its luster shine. When silver tarnishes, it is caused by oxidation and moisture from the air. Sunshine can also make silver tarnish, believe it or not. Sterling silver jewelry is often finished with rhodium giving it the appearance of platinum and is generally regarded as tarnish resistant. It is also acceptable to clean silver with mild dish detergent in warm water, using a soft toothbrush to clean stones. Simply wearing your jewelry helps prevent, or at least slow, the oxidation process keeping your jewelry looking new. To prevent scratches, silver jewelry can be stored in cloth pouches, small ziplock bags, or in separate compartments in your jewelry box Storage You should store your sterling silver jewelry away from open air and humidity. These factors will cause your silver to tarnish. Store your sterling silver jewelry in tarnish prevention cloths or bags. The treated cloth slows down the tarnishing process and keeps the jewelry from rubbing against harder jewelry that can scratch it. |
