Care and maintenance of your silver jewellery need not be a hard chore at all. Following certain tips will certainly help you keep all your fine and vintage jewellery pieces in great condition for years to come.
The most important thing is to avoid exposing the jewellery to any kind of substance or activity that can tarnish their shine and luster. Preventing the tarnish will save you so much time later on cleaning the pieces. Make sure that all the jewellery pieces are removed while applying makeup, hair sprays, lotions or perfumes. Each of these contains certain chemicals that can tarnish the surface of your silver earrings, pendants or rings. In fact, the best idea would be to finish your makeup and hair and wear the jewellery at the end.
It is also important to take care of your rings, bracelets or bangles from coming into contact with food. It is best to remove these while cooking so that no preservatives, oil etc. tarnish the exterior polish. Wearing sterling silver jewellery while cleaning your home is also a complete no-no as the chemicals present in soap or detergent can cause damage to the fine surface.
One of the best ways by which you can clean and polish your silver pieces is by using a soft polishing cloth. These are easily available and you could even ask your jeweller for one. Wiping the jewellery pieces softly with this cloth helps to remove any dirt or oil that has accumulated on the surface preventing dullness and ensuring that the shine stays forever. Doing this regularly is a good option so that the accumulated dirt does not get enough time to tarnish the surface of the metal.
Make sure that you store all the jewellery pieces in a sealed box or cloth bag to prevent exposure to humidity and oxygen. Detergents can also be used to clean silver jewellery but make sure that you are using cleaning agents that have been designed for this purpose. Also ensure that you are using non-phosphate cleaners; wash the pieces in mineral free water by slightly rubbing between your fingers and then wipe dry with a soft cloth. Do not use brushes as these can scratch the metal surface.
If the jewellery pieces are still tarnished, then it is best to take these to your jewellery as deeper cleaning may be necessary to remove the accumulated substances.
