Caring for your Sterling Silver Jewellery
All of my jewellery is hand made from 925 sterling silver, which over time, will naturally tarnish when exposed to the air. So to keep your silver jewellery in beautiful condition, I advise wearing it regularly, as this does seem to help slow down the tarnishing. process for most people.
In between wear, I recommend polishing your jewellery with a silver polishing cloth, which can be found on Amazon or Ebay. Avoid silver polishes which can be too abrasive. I have been advised that silver dips may make your jewellery tarnish more quickly after use, but I can’t comment on this, as I haven’t used them myself. I have found the eco method of cleaning below works well to lift tarnish. Basically it works by chemical reaction with the aluminium and sodium bicarbonate, to reverse the tarnishing process;
Eco Silver Jewellery Cleaning Method
If your jewellery is particularly dirty or clogged with with grime, wash it first with a mild washing up detergent and a soft toothbrush.
To prevent scratches, remove your jewellery when working with your hands and in between wear, store each piece separately, either in a soft bag, or jewellery box to reduce exposure to the air. Storing your silver jewellery with anti-tarnish strips, or in anti-tarnish bags (again from Ebay or Amazon), will keep your jewellery bright and shiny for longer.
Certain chemicals and products do react with silver. I once made the mistake of wearing a silver ring in a swimming pool and the chlorine turned it a nasty dull grey almost immediately. I would therefore always remove silver jewellery when showering, bathing, swimming, applying lotions, perfumes or hair products, or when using cleaning products and chemicals.
In between wear, I recommend polishing your jewellery with a silver polishing cloth, which can be found on Amazon or Ebay. Avoid silver polishes which can be too abrasive. I have been advised that silver dips may make your jewellery tarnish more quickly after use, but I can’t comment on this, as I haven’t used them myself. I have found the eco method of cleaning below works well to lift tarnish. Basically it works by chemical reaction with the aluminium and sodium bicarbonate, to reverse the tarnishing process;
Eco Silver Jewellery Cleaning Method
If your jewellery is particularly dirty or clogged with with grime, wash it first with a mild washing up detergent and a soft toothbrush.
- Line a small heat proof bowl, lined with aluminium foil
- Add one dessert spoon of sodium bicarbonate and enough hot water to cover the item and leave for 10 minutes. (If the item is all silver you can use boiling water, but if set with any gemstones you will need to check their care instructions to ensure this method is suitable.)
- If necessary repeat with fresh foil, sodium bicarbonate and hot water, turning the piece over, so different areas of the jewellery are in contact with the foil.
- Polish with a silver polishing cloth.
To prevent scratches, remove your jewellery when working with your hands and in between wear, store each piece separately, either in a soft bag, or jewellery box to reduce exposure to the air. Storing your silver jewellery with anti-tarnish strips, or in anti-tarnish bags (again from Ebay or Amazon), will keep your jewellery bright and shiny for longer.
Certain chemicals and products do react with silver. I once made the mistake of wearing a silver ring in a swimming pool and the chlorine turned it a nasty dull grey almost immediately. I would therefore always remove silver jewellery when showering, bathing, swimming, applying lotions, perfumes or hair products, or when using cleaning products and chemicals.