Whether you exclusively accessorize with sterling silver jewelry or you only have a few unique silver pieces in your collection, knowing how to care for your jewelry properly is pretty important. And with that said, all jewelry types require a special care routine, from earrings and necklaces to bracelets and rings.
In this article, we specifically outline routine care steps for sterling silver jewelry. Following this guide will ensure your Roma’s 16-inch sterling silver chains and every other piece of sterling silver in your collection will always remain in top condition.
Understand Reasons For Tarnishing
Most commonly, sterling silver is made from 92.5% pure silver and other metals as an alloyed metal. It’s a pretty popular choice due to affordability and quality, although sterling silver can tarnish quickly. And this is due to the composition.
Sterling silver jewelry that appears dark or even dirty is tarnished. However, there’s no need to throw these pieces out, as you can revive them. Tarnish is the mere result of a chemical reaction with sulfur particles and oxygen in the air. As a result, sterling silver jewelry needs routine cleaning.
Preventing Tarnishing
There are a few ways to prevent tarnishing, and some of them might surprise you. Firstly, wearing sterling silver pieces often will prevent tarnishing. In addition, you should remove them while doing chores around the house to avoid cleaning chemicals from enhancing the chemical reaction.
It is also best to keep your sterling silver jewelry out of the direct sunlight as this is the fastest way to cause tarnishing. And lastly, always put your jewelry on last when getting dressed.
Cleaning Sterling Silver
Cleaning sterling silver is not as complex as you might think. First, you should use a gentle soap and water solution to wash off tarnish. Next, you can use baking soda and water if your jewelry is more tarnished; soap and water will work well if the tarnish isn’t too noticeable.
A baking soda and water solution can be used to soak your jewelry for a short while. White vinegar and baking soda is a solution for extremely tarnished jewelry. However, whichever solution you use, be sure to finish the gentle cleaning step by polishing the jewelry pieces thoroughly. Additionally, you will need a cloth specifically for polishing sterling silver, as a regular rag won’t work too well.
Store Jewelry Pieces Separately
After cleaning and polishing your jewelry, you must be sure to store each piece of your collection separately; keeping everything together in a large box will lead to eventual damage and tangling of pieces.
The best storage approach is to hold onto the original box packaging the pieces come in when purchasing. This will give each piece of jewelry a safe spot in your collection. Storage is just as necessary as regular cleaning.
Keeping a care routine for your jewelry is essential in maintaining its value and appeal. And even though sterling silver is not the most expensive metal out there, there’s no doubt that you still want to keep your jewelry collection looking its absolute best.
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