You’ve just bought a new stylish piece of sterling silver jewelry. You’ve now arrived home and are about to put it away with the rest of your jewelry. Then it hits you.
“How do I properly care for sterling silver jewelry?”
This isn’t an uncommon question. How to clean and store sterling silver jewelry is what will help maintain its charm in the years ahead. Here is some of our best advice on caring for sterling silver jewelry.
Sterling Silver Will Get Dirty
Sterling silver jewelry is made from natural materials. Over time, it will naturally tarnish and catch fingerprints and oils and all sorts of things. This doesn’t mean your jewelry will be ruined. They just have to be cleaned, that’s all!
Use Warm Water And Soap to Clean Sterling Silver
Sterling silver jewelry doesn’t need more than warm water and soap to clean it. This is the safest way to clean any jewelry that’s made with hard, non-porous gemstones as well, such as topaz, amethyst, garnet, citrine, peridot, and cubic zirconia.
Use A Toothbrush to Get Rid of Debris
A toothbrush is soft but also rough enough to remove debris from sterling silver jewelry necklaces and rings. After soaking the jewelry in warm, soapy water for a few minutes, apply a soft toothbrush to problematic areas. It may take some effort but you’d be surprised at how much drabness can be cleaned off.
Use A Soft Silver Polishing Cloth to Polish
If you intend to polish sterling silver jewelry, use a soft polishing cloth to do so. They make ones specifically for silver that will remove tarnish and shine up pieces very nicely. Gentle rub the cloth directly on the silver, avoiding any gemstones that may be on the piece.
Do Not Wash Your Polishing Cloth
A polishing cloth will grow darker and darker over time from debris. Don’t worry. It will still polish effectively for probably years and years without issue. You don’t have to wash it nor should you. Washing a polishing cloth will remove the cleaning agent it is coated in and could render it ineffective.
Sterling Silver Jewelry Scratches
Do not wear your sterling silver rings or other jewelry while doing activities that could scratch it, such as gardening. Any contact that could be made with a harsh-edged material can cause a scratch. Once scratched, forever scratched.
Sterling Silver Can Break Down in Certain Chemicals
Do not wear your sterling silver jewelry while cleaning. Any sort of chemical exposure like this has the potential to break down the metal and cause it to collapse upon itself, resulting in broken jewelry. Hardly what you want happening! This is exactly why it’s best to not wear sterling silver while swimming as the chlorine can do this.
How to Store Sterling Silver Jewelry
Silver gets tarnished through exposure to air and moisture. Cut down on this exposure and you preserve your jewelry. Try putting them in individual resealable plastic bags. This way, you take away contact from oxygen and moisture, and the separation between plastic bags means no scratching.
For handmade sterling silver jewelry and other exquisite, elegant jewelry crafted with style, visit Corail Blanc today.
