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Sterling Silver Care
The beauty of sterling silver jewelry will last a lifetime with a bit of tender loving care. It has an heirloom quality and is often passed down from generation to generation. The two main questions that are often asked are:
“How can I keep my sterling silver jewelry
from tarnishing?”
“What can be done to remove the tarnish?”
Tarnish, while unappealing, is rarely unmanageable. It is also a sign of quality sterling silver! Tarnish occurs as a result of a chemical reaction when the silver comes in contact with sulfur compounds. These compounds can be found in our bodies, in the air, or in household products. However, one wonderful quality of silver is that even when tarnished, it can almost always be brought back to its original glory with the proper care.
Preventative care
Your first line of defense against tarnish is in how it is stored. Sealing your jewelry in individual airtight bags or containers will minimize the exposure to air, and therefore drastically slow down the tarnishing process. When you purchase jewelry from Silvique, it is given to you in little ziploc bags. These are perfect to use when you remove your jewelry each night.
In most cases, wearing your jewelry as often as you can will also prevent tarnishing. The oils from your skin “clean” the jewelry and keep it sparkling. Every person’s body chemistry is different, so this may not work the same for every individual. But in most cases, wearing your jewelry is a wonderful way to keep it polished.
Lastly, like any precious metals, sterling silver does not react well with chemicals such as cleaning products, hair products, perfumes, etc. There is a reason why women put their jewelry on last, when getting dressed in the morning. It’s also why they remove their rings before scrubbing the floor or washing the windows! Using harsh chemicals can sometimes cause a permanent change in the patina of precious metals, so take care to remove your jewelry before using cleaning products.
Removing Tarnish
***Always check to make sure your polishing products are specifically designed for use on Sterling Silver. Follow the specific instructions provided with each product. Here are a few additional tips:
Your first step in removing tarnish should be with a polishing cloth, approved for use with Sterling Silver. That may be all you need! This works beautifully on smooth silver pieces. Care should be taken if using a cloth on jewelry with stones, to ensure they are not loosened by the polishing motion.
Liquid silver cleaner works especially well on jewelry with nooks and crannies, such a fancier chains and pieces with intricate designs. It should not be used directly on soft natural stones such as pearls, turquoise, onyx, amber, etc. It should also not be used on oxidized jewelry (jewelry that has purposefully blackened areas as part of the design) because it can lighten the oxidized areas. When using liquid cleaners, never immerse your jewelry for more than 30 seconds at a time! Leaving jewelry in for too long can result in a permanent chemical change that cannot be reversed. You can rinse with water and repeat as many times as necessary to remove tarnish.
Polishing cloths and liquid spray cleaner can be purchased directly from Silvique, or at most jewelry counters.