Care of your jewelry
Here are some tips to help you care for your jewelry and keep it longer.
Sterling silver jewelry
You should know that sterling silver jewelry oxidizes when it comes into contact with oxygen. Therefore, when sterling silver jewelry is unworn or in contact with certain products, it will tarnish and blacken.
Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper. Oxidation is a black patina that forms on the surface of the metal. It is a reaction caused by the copper in the metal and the oxygen in the air.
Here are some tips on how to care for your sterling silver jewelry.
- To preserve the original appearance of your jewelry, it is recommended to wipe it with a soft cloth after wearing it. Sebum, soap, chlorine, hair products, cosmetics, perfume, etc. accelerate the process of oxidation.
- It is also preferable to remove your jewelry when you are washing or bathing.
- It is not recommended to use a commercial cleaning product. The manufacturing products contained in it make the jewels tarnish more quickly with time and we find ourselves in a vicious circle.
- Also, if your jewels have a mirror polish, I advise you to only use a polishing cloth or to take them to a professional jeweler.
How do you clean your sterling silver jewelry?
1. The Magic Ingredient: Baking Soda
Option A : To clean your silver jewelry, you prepare a paste made of 3 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of water. Using a microfiber cloth, rub the paste on your jewelry. Then rinse your jewelry with clean water.
Option B : You line a bowl with aluminum foil, place your jewelry in it, cover it with baking soda and pour in hot water. Wait a few minutes and it's good to go!
2. The indispensable: The polishing cloth
What is it? It is a cloth coated with a product that helps to lightly polish the jewelry. You can rub your jewelry with it to remove oxidation and restore its shine. However, there are some areas that are more difficult to reach with the cloth.
3. A sure tips : Lemon
Yes, you read that right. Simply cut a lemon in half and squeeze out the juice. Then, using a soft-bristled toothbrush that you've previously soaked in lemon juice, gently scrub your jewelry.
4. Unusual: Toothpaste
As with lemon juice, the ingredients in toothpaste help polish jewelry.
To do this, you put a little toothpaste on your soft-bristled toothbrush and then scrub your jewelry thoroughly. Tadammm!
What to do with textile jewelry?
The textile used to crochet jewelry is made from polyester fiber which is a plastic material. In order for the textile jewelry to retain its original appearance, it should not be placed near a heat source or exposed to very high temperatures. The fibers could change color and become deformed.
To clean them, simply immerse the jewel for a few minutes in a bowl with a little dish soap and warm water. Afterwards, sponge it and hang it up to dry.
If you have other suggestions, do not hesitate to write to us in the comments.