Even the highest-quality silver jewellery can darken over time. It falls victim to humidity, salty air, perspiration, and skincare and undergoes an oxidation reaction where it turns colour and loses its lustre. The tarnished look may seem attractive to antique jewellery lovers. But if you miss the sparkle of the brand-new silver pieces, you’re in for some valuable advice.
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Here is how to care for your treasure and prevent and reverse tarnish.
Store your valuable silver items properly
Never keep your silver jewellery in the bathroom or wear it in a spa or hot tub because humidity accelerates the tarnishing process. The best way to store your fancy possessions is a special jewellery box made of soft material, with each piece placed in an air-tight plastic bag with a mini-ziplock.
Wear your jewellery frequently
Did you notice how the silver ring you wear all the time is amazingly tarnish-free? One of the easiest ways to prevent the darkening of your precious items is to wear them as often as possible. As long as you wipe it down gently when you’re finished wearing it, it will retain its shine and last forever.
How to elevate the dull-looking silver jewellery?
When your treasure starts to look a little dull, try this cheap and easy DIY solution recommended by Cosmopolitan. All you'll need are warm water, mild dish soap, and a soft brush.
Mix water with a few drops of soap in a bowl and soak your pieces for up to five minutes. Use the brush to clean off any stains. Finish the 'spa' with a simple rinse and a dry with a microfiber cloth. You’ll see the difference immediately.
How to clean badly tarnished jewellery?
You can find plenty of silver cleaning creams, foams, baths, and gels, as well as polishing cloths on Amazon. Hagerty Silver Clean, Goddard’s Foam Tarnish Remover, and Connoisseurs Jewellery Cleaning Wipes come with great reviews.
But if you want to save money and don’t mind a bit of the DIY, grab some baking soda and aluminium kitchen foil and prepare to be dazzled.
- Pick a bowl that can fit all the precious pieces you want to clean and line the inside of the bowl with a sheet of foil with the reflective side facing up
- Place the jewellery inside the foil-lined bowl and add some boiling hot water to it until the jewellery is covered
- Sprinkle some baking soda in the bowl in a ratio of one tablespoon per cup of water and let the precious items soak in the solution for a few minutes
- Remove the jewellery, rinse it under cool water, and dry it with a microfiber cloth.
Sources used:
- Topaz&Pearl: 'Silver Jewelry care: 4 ways to keep your jewelry shiny'
- Cosmopolitan: 'How to Clean a Silver Necklace and Jewelry in a Few Easy Steps'
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