With the use that we give them every day, the jewels can lose shine and accumulate dirt.
Nothing that can't be fixed with a few maintenance tricks. Today I am going to tell you how to safely clean silver at home so that your jewelry is perfect every day (and forever).
You will see how easy.
Do you want to know how silver is cleaned? First, let's see if it is Sterling Silver
It is inevitable that silver jewelry, over time, ends up turning dark. But you shouldn't worry. It does not mean that you have bought a jewel of poor quality.
I explain.
Normally the silver jewelry that we buy is actually a mixture of silver and other metals.
For example, I use 925 Sterling Silver for my Adamina jewelry. Do you know what Sterling Silver is?
It is high quality silver, composed of 92.5% pure silver.
The rest of the composition are other metals, such as copper for example.
It is necessary to do it this way, because if we used pure silver in jewelry, the pieces would be too soft and easily deform. That is why we use an alloy with another metal that provides that point of hardness that pure silver does not have.
When do we consider silver to be of high quality? The regulation in Spain establishes that sterling silver must have a purity of 92.5% or more. Below that figure is considered second law silver, of lower quality.
If you want your jewelry to be with you for a long time and keep all its properties, it is best to make sure you buy quality silver. Thus, with periodic cleaning, you make sure that they remain perfect, shiny and without deformations.
Why does silver darken over time?
Because as I told you at the beginning, it is normal for a silver jewel to blacken with use.
It happens for multiple reasons, some you can prevent but others are unavoidable.
For example, the more acidic the PH of your skin, the more your silver jewelry will tend to darken. It can even happen at times, if you take any medication that temporarily alters the PH.
The use of perfumes, moisturizing creams, soaps... Chemicals in general affect metal, especially when it is a continuous contact.
For example, if you put cologne on your neck every day it is easy for your necklaces to soon start to turn dark.
But, as I said, nothing happens. We fix it right now.
5 easy tips to clean silver jewelry
The first thing I would tell you is not to wait too long to clean your silver jewelry. If you really want to do effective maintenance, check them from time to time and restore them to their original shine.
Don't let them get too black because it will cost you more to clean them.
Then, separate the jewels that have stones set , because we are going to treat those separately so as not to damage any material.
There are several ways to clean silver rings, bracelets, or necklaces. In fact, if you search the internet you can find a thousand and one methods (including immersion in Cocacola, the quintessential all-purpose soft drink).
My advice is to do it like this:
- Protect yourself with latex gloves and open the window. Vapors may be produced.
- Pass all the jewelry through a good stream of water with a drop of neutral soap to remove dust and impurities.
- Submerge the jewelry in a container with hot water, two tablespoons of baking soda and aluminum foil in pieces, which will act as a magnet to attract dirt. If the jewelry is very dirty, do it twice. Then rinse and dry them with a clean cloth.
- If there are reliefs or areas that are blacker than others, you can use either white spirit or a mixture of bicarbonate with an acid (which can be vinegar or lemon). Clean the area with an ear swab.
- And if they have pearls or stones set? Extreme care. Do not use abrasive or acidic products that can damage them (that is, skip points 3 and 4). Just rub with a damp cloth. If more is needed, it is better that you go to a professional jeweler.
Once you have all your silver jewelry ready, you can keep it for longer if you take a few more details into account.
How to make your silver jewelry last longer clean (this is how I do it)
Put them on at the last moment before going out. Thus, if you have perfumed or hydrated your skin, some time will have passed and the contact will be less. I confess to you that, when I decide on earrings, I usually leave them on for a while... but it's not ideal, really.
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