It’s hard not to fall for the luster and brilliance these sterling silver jewelry pieces hold with the versatility that has made them popular among the millennials. But, many of us fear the tarnish that these pieces carry and avoid including the gorgeous silver pieces in our jewellery box.
Who wants a discolored jewelry item that once was the charm of the collection? This discoloring happens with the chemical bonding that happens to its surface when silver comes in contact with sulphur or oxygen. But, at the same time caring for silver and reducing the chances of tarnish is as simple as doing your dishes and all you need is to arm yourself with the necessary tips and tricks to get back the lustre that got you attracted in the first place. You can wear your favourite silver pile again with all its shine with these quick tips!
- Wear your silver piece often: You can start by avoiding tarnish by wearing the jewelry often. This way the oils in your skin “cleanses” the silver and keeps it shiny.
- Avoid certain kind of exposure: Be sure to remove your silver piece while going for sunbathing and swimming. It is also a good idea to remove your jewellery while doing household chores. Lotions, perfumes, and cosmetics also accelerate tarnishing. There is a reason women put on jewellery at the very last of dressing up.
- Store the silver with extra care: It is like leaving a fancy car out in rain. You need to appropriately store your stunning silver piece. Store silver in airtight plastic bags with anti-tarnish strips as exposure to air tarnishes it. Also, make sure not to store multiple jewelry pieces in the same bag: silver being a soft metal, the individual pieces can scratch each other.
- Get it polished once in a while: Silver is delicate and pretty and despite all the care could get dirty easily. A microfibre cloth or special jewellery cloth could do the cleaning. Simply polish your silver to make it work well when the tarnishing is not too severe. It’s is the best way to clean oxidized silver, as you can stay away from the intentionally tarnished areas. While polishing use only back and forth motions as it mirrors the grain of the silver. Do not rub in circles.
- Give them a professional treatment: If your pieces are heavily tarnished and you don’t have the time to clean them, take them to a professional silver cleaner. Valuable pieces, fragile or very old should be cleaned by a professional.
- Give these pieces a DIY cleaning: Are you doing it all, and still can’t find the ultimate shine? Some of the natural cleaning methods can do the magic of bringing back the bling. Using dish liquid and water or baking soda and water could be a great way to restore the silver charm pendants.
- Give extra care to silver with stones: Not all cleaners are made for all kind of stones and pearls. Avoid immersing jewelry adorned with pearls or opaque gemstones as some of these stones could be softer ones. Give them a brief cleaning if, they become too dirty.
Bonus Tip!
Be sure to rinse your silver with water or a clean damp cloth after using any of the cleaners. Since polish can still be in crevices and harden. After this, dry the pieces with a microfiber cloth to prevent the formation of white water spot stains.
Do not dull your silver shine
While buying and adding a beautiful piece to your timeless collection feels great, nothing ruins the mood more than the tarnish. It is advisable to take good care of your silver as it can provide many years pleasure and could even become family heirlooms. And, of course, silver is valuable. Do not wait until tarnish gets the silver so bad that you forget about your silver treasures and want to get rid of them. Sterling silver care is extremely easy. Also, putting some extra effort is only going to give you a treasure to cherish for years. The necklaces and rings are timeless beauties that will complement your personality for various occasions with all that you deserve.