Jewellery Care

STERLING SILVER CLEANING & CARE

About Sterling Silver

Silver in its pure form is too soft to use in jewellery so other metals are added to create sterling silver, which is at least 92.5% silver. The other metals, primarily copper, are the reason sterling silver tarnishes.  The copper reacts to the moisture and sulphur in the air, first giving the silver a golden cast that then turns darker giving it the tarnished look.  Some acidic foods, such as onions can also make sterling silver tarnish.  The time in which sterling silver can tarnish varies, depending on how humid the area is – the more moisture in the air, the quicker the silver will tarnish.

Cleaning

Clean you sterling silver jewellery regularly to avoid it developing the dark tarnish which is hard to remove.

Firstly, be gentle!  Silver can be easily scratched.  DO NOT use toothpaste or baking soda (myths from the internet) to clean your silver, they can either be too abrasive or create tiny pits in your jewellery which will eventually cause damage.

If you can afford a really good quality cloth, buy one!  For example a high quality silver jewellery cloth set will have two cloths, one for cleaning and one for polishing.  Otherwise follow the simple instructions below and once your jewellery is dry, polish it with a more affordable cloth, preferably one that is 100% cotton. (PLEASE SEE THE JEWELLERY CARE SECTION AT  www.sayjo.co.nz FOR THE PRICE OF THE SMALL CLEANING CLOTH WE SUPPLY - or click this link - Jewellery Cleaning Cloth )

Simply wash your silver jewellery with warm water containing a few drops of a mild dishwashing liquid. 

 If your jewellery does not include pearls or soft gemstones, immerse it in the water and rub gently with your fingers or a cotton swab.  For more abrasive cleaning, brush lightly with a soft baby toothbrush.  Rinse the piece thoroughly with warm water and dry with a cotton cloth to avoid water spots.

If your jewellery does include pearls or soft gemstones, do not put it in the water.  Instead moisten a cotton swab with the warm water and dishwashing liquid mixture and carefully wipe the silver surfaces that need cleaning. Wipe the silver with a damp cloth or cotton swab to remove the soap.

Before storing, let your clean silver jewellery lie flat and air dry completely, overnight if possible.  (Moisture speeds up the tarnishing process so it’s important to make sure your sterling silver is thoroughly dry before storing it).

Once your silver jewellery is dry, polish it with a non-abrasive jewellery polishing cloth. 

To help slow down the tarnishing process you can store your sterling silver in a dry airless environment such as an airtight plastic bag.