Sterling silver is one of the most beautiful and lustrous of all metals. With proper care, your silver will retain its beauty and character for many generations to come.
There are a couple of rules for silver care
Sterling silver tarnishes, especially when exposed to humidity, salt air and products containing sulfur, such as rubber bands and some papers. This tarnish will quickly build, leaving the silver pieces with a dark black coating in place of the shiny silver. However, silver that is regularly used typically needs less care.
We recommend on washing any silver piece by hand in warm water with a mild detergent. Because many food acids and gases in the air can have a corrosive effect, we suggest that you wash your silver immediately after use. Silver jewelry, should not be left to soak in water. To avoid spotting, it is important to dry your silver immediately after washing.
Cleaning your silver jewelry after each use with a soft cloth will keep it shinier longer.
Here are some cleaning methods:
1) Polishing Silver using dip
There are several cleaning solutions in the market called 'dip' polish.
Begin by wiping off as much of the tarnish with the soft cloth as possible. Place a small amount of silver dip solution in the bowl, (wear gloves to protect your hands) and quickly dip the jewelry into the silver dip. Do not allow the silver to soak in the polish as the chemicals are too harsh for extended exposure.
When using a paste, apply the paste using a soft cloth or soft natural bristled toothbrush, rubbing in a straight line motion. Remove the paste with a clean soft cloth. (Do not rub in circles as the abrasives in the paste will scratch the surface of the piece). Rinse thoroughly under cool running water. Be sure to remove all of the solution before it dries and leave a white residue that will be much more difficult to remove.
Dry and buff gently with a soft cloth to restore the shine.
** Avoid using silver dips for pieces with gemstones, especially Turquoise or Lapis as they are porous and will absorb the cleaner, and will lead to quickly deteriorating the stone.
2) Cleaning Silver With Aluminum Foil and Baking Soda
This is one of the simple, organic ways of cleaning and polishing your sterling silver jewelry. Baking soda activated by boiling water in the presence of aluminum, will dislodge the tarnish by making it bind with the aluminum, leaving the sterling silver clean and shiny again.
All you need to do is boil just enough water to submerge all of the sterling silver pieces. Get a glass or plastic dish with a slightly crumpled piece of aluminum foil inside; lay your jewelry on the aluminum foil, making sure the silver touches the aluminum.
Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda over the jewelry and then pour enough boiling water to immerse the jewelry. At this stage, bubbling should occur, giving off a rotten-egg odor (the sulfuric gases released by the cleaning action).
Move the pieces around gentle with a wood or plastic utensil to ensure that all of the silver surfaces come in contact with the aluminum. You will notice that the silver has become bright again.
Remove the jewelry from the dish and wash under tap water, be careful not to lose any small jewelry such as earrings.
Wipe the pieces gently with an absorbent towel and polish with a soft cloth.
3) Cleaning your silver jewelry with salt
Fill a jar about half full with hot water and dissolve in it 1 tablespoon of salt. Add a few strips of aluminum foil to the jar and simply drop you silver jewelry in the water.
Shake the jewelry around, till the aluminum and salt starts to act as a magnet, pulling the tarnish off the silver pieces.
Allow the jewelry to set in the saltwater and aluminum foil mixture for a few minutes, then remove and rinse carefully under running tap water for a minute or so. Then wipe the pieces gently with an absorbent towel and polish with a soft towel.
Storing your silver pieces:
Once cleaned and polished, silver must be kept dry and properly stored. We recommend on using flannel cloth or bags which will protect the jewelry from abrasion and offer a degree of tarnish prevention. When storing in flannel cloth, be sure it is absolutely dry. If the climate is humid, you can place a small packet of silica gel or crystals inside the roll. Plain white toothpaste can be used in place of silver paste for cleaning.
