7 Top Tips for Caring for your Silver Jewellery
Are you looking for ideas for caring for your silver more effectively? Do you have silver jewellery that is looking past its best? This silver jewellery expert shares with you everything you need to know to keep your silver jewellery looking amazing. I also highly recommend her personalised jewellery if you are looking for something special too!
How to Care for your Silver Jewellery
Silver jewellery isn’t costume jewellery and should be cared for to keep it in tip-top condition.
Have you ever gone to your jewellery box to put on a favourite necklace that you haven’t worn for a while just to find that it has turned black and looks terrible? Don’t worry when this happens because they can be brought back to life by learning to start caring for your silver.
It is very normal for silver jewellery to tarnish and here at Finger and Thumbs I LOVE to help you keep your jewellery super shiny and looking good. For me, I make fine silver imprint keepsakes that have a sentimental value so they really should look good. And once I have polished your silver imprint charms to perfection I want to help you keep them looking as lovely for as long as possible.
Why does silver tarnish?
Silver is a natural metal and a chemical reaction with pollution in the air makes it tarnish. Silver does not like humidity, oils from your skin, perfumes, deodorant, lotions, or hair products.
Silver also doesn’t like water. Pure water doesn’t damage silver, but most water in our daily lives is not purified.
Here are my 5 Top Tips for keeping your silver super shiny:
Top Tip Number 1:
Don’t shower with your jewellery on. This isn’t always realistic if you never take your jewellery off or if you are in a rush so make sure that you dry your silver charms after.
Top Tip Number 2:
This is a good tip for when you are on holiday.
Don’t wear your silver in the swimming pool!
Chlorine is a harsh chemical and makes the tarnishing process quicker. Please don’t panic if you do forget but make sure to rinse it and dry it off properly after.
Top Tip Number 3:
When you aren’t wearing your silver don’t put it in the same jewellery box as your costume jewellery.
Costume jewellery usually contains copper to keep the cost of the jewellery down and the copper reacts to silver causing a chemical reaction that will cause your silver to tarnish.
Top Tip Number 4:
If your silver jewellery has tarnished then please don’t throw it away – instead, give it a clean.
The easiest way to get rid of tarnish is to give it a wash
Wash it with warm water and gentle liquid soap. I use gentle hand soap with no moisturiser and no harsh chemicals (often baby-friendly soaps are the kindest).
If the tarnish is stubborn use a cloth or soft-bristled brush (toothbrushes work well) to help get the dirt out.
Make sure you dry it quickly and well once it is clean.
Top Tip Number 5:
Once you have got your silver clean then give it a quick and easy shine is with a professional silver polishing cloth. They are not abrasive so will not scratch your jewellery. You can buy these online or often from your local jewellery.
Perfumes and lotions: Chemicals in lotions and perfumes can cause your jewellery to tarnish. To minimise the chemical reaction with your silver charms when you are getting ready apply your lotions and potions first, let them dry, and then put your jewellery on.
Avoid harsh cleaning methods involving toothpaste or baking soda which is rubbed onto the metal. This will remove tiny amounts of metal every time you do it and over time it will damage your silver imprint charms.
Tips for storing your silver charms to reduce tarnishing
Storing your jewellery carefully can help it stay pristine for longer.
Avoid storing silver jewellery in a humid place and definitely NOT in your bathroom. Humidity speeds up the tarnishing process a lot.
Ideally, silver jewellery should be stored away from free-flowing air as it carries pollutants. Keep it in a pouch or a small jewellery box. Try and keep different metals separated too. Copper quickens up the tarnishing process so if you have any costume jewellery that contains copper it will affect your silver jewellery too.