If you’re looking at a piece of jewelry that is darkened or appears dirty, then your silver has tarnished; but, there’s no need to neglect this piece or get rid of it!
Tarnish is simply the result of a chemical reaction with oxygen or sulfur particles in the air. With a few easy-to-follow tips, you can take care of your sterling silver jewellery and make it last for years to come!
Knowing what’s harmful to your sterling silver & 18k gold jewellery is the best way to combat tarnish. For your daily wearing, we’ve put together this list of tips:
- Wear it often: Believe it or not, your skin’s natural oils will help keep silver jewellery shiny. One of the easiest ways to prevent tarnish is to simply wear your silver often as opposed to letting it sit in a jewellery box unworn.
- Remove during household chores: Substances with additional sulphur like household cleaners, chlorinated water, and rubber (gloves) will accelerate corrosion and tarnish. It’s a good idea to remove sterling silver completely before cleaning.
- Keep out of direct sunlight: Before you hit the beach or pool, be sure to remove your silver jewellery. Sunlight can cause silver to tarnish as well.
- Put your jewellery on last: For generations, women have been putting their jewellery on last and that’s for good reason! Lotions, makeups, hair spray and perfumes will accelerate tarnishing.
There are countless at-home methods for cleaning your silver jewellery. You’ve probably found yourself faced with endless options, wondering which are the best. Well, here’s the silver cleaning methods that we suggest for your at-home cleaning:
- Soap and water: This is our most recommended method because of the gentleness of soap and water. This should really be your first line of defense before trying anything else.
- Baking soda and water: If you come across suggestions to use toothpaste, we highly recommend you ignore that tip and use baking soda and water instead. When toothpastes were simple non-whitening, non-gel based pastes, they could be used on your jewellery. However, they include many more ingredients now that may damage your silver. Instead make a paste from baking soda and water, apply a small amount onto a cloth or tooth brush and scrub gently.
- White vinegar and baking soda: This gentle cleaning method is great for removing heavy tarnish. Soak your sterling silver in ½ cup of white vinegar and 2 tbsp of baking soda (combine these in the sink and prepare yourself for the fizzing and foam) for two to three hours. Rinse jewelry and pat dry.
- Finish with a polish: After you’ve given your jewellery a good cleaning, you can finish the process by using a polishing cloth that’s specifically for sterling silver.
You can repeat this process as often as needed. Remember, the key to keeping your sterling silver clean is to keep up with regular cleanings to remove tarnish as it builds. Your job becomes much more difficult if you let a piece accumulate a lot of tarnish and then try to remove it all at once.
There are many other methods that you’ll come across, but we highly suggest these three because of how gentle they are on your silver jewellery.
- Keep in a cool, dark place: as mentioned earlier, sunlight, heat and moisture accelerate tarnishing. Be sure to keep your silver in a cool, dark place, such as a suitable jewellery box.
- Store pieces individually: storing your pieces separately prevents any chance of jewellery scratching or tangling with each other.
There are a few other things you may try when looking for ways to prevent your sterling silver jewellery from tarnishing.
- Store jewellery with chalk: If you throw a few pieces of chalk in with your sterling silver, the chalk will absorb the moisture and help prevent tarnishing.
- Use silica packs: When you buy new clothing or shoes, sometimes you’ll find silica packs in with them. Hold onto these and toss them in your jewellery box. They’re great for absorbing moisture!
Remember that it’s easier to prevent tarnish than it is to remove it after it occurs. If you see tarnish beginning to form, be sure to clean it immediately. Following these steps will help keep your sterling silver looking like new for years to come!
FINE BONE CHINA
Our bone china is made from fine porcelain and as so is not dishwasher safe. Please wash by hand to preserve the life of the print and keep the china in pristine condition. Always avoid the use of scouring pads and abrasive washing detergents.
Most stains or hardened on particles can be removed by soaking the item in warm water before washing. Cleaning your bone china mugs, cups and saucers or homewares as soon as possible is the best way to avoid staining. Using bicarbonate of soda works well with tea staining as does soaking a slice of lemon in boiled water. One method we use is a mix of bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar. Simply pour one tablespoon of baking soda into your mug. Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar, making sure it covers all the stained areas. Let it soak for a good 2+ hours then rinse. You can let to soak overnight if needed and give it a gentle scrub at the end with a cloth.