Reviving Your Jewellery - Caring For Your Silver Jewellery

We know that people are having to somewhatshould be cleaned with extra care. Finishes are
curb their spending but this doesn't mean youachieved in a number of ways, and unless you
can't still have a little glamour in your life. We havehave been advised specifically, abrasive methods
some great tips and advice on how to rejuvenateshould be undertaken with great care.
the silver jewellery you already have. Read on forA rinse-off style of liquid cleaner is often best for
some practical tips from inside the jewelerymoderate to severe tarnish. A soft toothbrush
industry.can be used when tarnish is stubborn. Goddard's
Simple steps to care for your silver jewelery:Silver Dip is an excellent product - read the
1. Remove your jewellery when doing activitiesinstructions carefully and do not bring into contact
such as: household chores, sports, strenuouswith oxidised finishes jewellery, pearls or
activities, bathing, activities requiring hand tools.absorbent stones.
2. Chlorine from swimming pools and hot tubsCaring for jewellery with an oxidised finish
should be avoided, as should contact with cleaning1. An oxidised finish on your jewellery is not
products, paint and chemicals.permanent and is only a surface decoration so
3. When not wearing your jewellery it is importantcare should be taken to avoid abrasion on the
to keep it dry as moisture is the main cause ofsurface of the jewellery.
tarnish. Store jewellery in a jewellery box or roll,2. Clean oxidised finishes with mild detergent
ideally placing each item in a plastic bag. Makingdiluted in warm soapy water and dry thoroughly.
sure jewellery items do not come into contactDo not use chemical silver cleaners or dips.
with other pieces will help keep scratching to aSilver and reactions with the skin
minimum.1. Sometimes sterling silver will react with the skin
4. Avoid contact with sulfurous substances suchleaving a black tarnish on the jewellery. This is the
as rubber bands.result of medication, or body chemistry reacting
Cleaning your silver jewellerywith the silver. Most of the time the tarnishing will
To clean: On polished silver use a soft lint freestop after a few weeks of wear, but if not it can
cloth or long term silver polish cloth impregnatedbe removed by the usual methods.
with polish. You can also soak items in warm2. Very occasionally a ring will react with the
soapy water and use a soft cloth or soft bristlebody's chemical balance and leave a green or
toothbrush for stubborn marks. Some items ofblack mark on the finger and/or ring. The ring can
jewellery can be cleaned with specialist jewellerybe cleaned in the usual way. One way to prevent
cleaners such as Goddard's Silver Dip, howeverreactions with the skin is to plate the item with
care should be taken to read product instructions.rhodium - one of the platinum family of metals. It
Make sure you always rinse and dry yourshould be noted that this will eventually wear off
jewellery thoroughly.and need re-plating. Another preventative
Top Tips to keep your jewellery tarnish free:measure is to use a clear nail polish on the inside
1. Use silica gel packs in your jewellery storage toof the ring to act as a barrier between it and the
keep the air dryskin.
2. Allow scent, moisturiser and other body3. Problems with wide rings, in which a large
products to dry before putting on your jewellerysurface area of silver comes into contact with the
as these can accelerate tarnish.skin are slightly more likely, and it is important to
3. The more often you wear your jewellery thedry the hands and ring thoroughly after washing.
less it will tarnish due to gentle friction and oils in4. It is worth noting that taking certain
the skin.medications may cause a reaction with jewellery
Caring for jewellery with a satin or brushed finishwhich produces a green/black residue.
Silver jewellery with a textured or satin finish