How to Clean Silver Jewelry

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It is essential to clean silver jewelry in order to ensure that it does not lose its natural shine or brilliance. The following methods can help to get rid of dirt and they will also help to prevent the silver from turning into a lackluster, dull color.

Required Tools and Materials to Clean Silver Jewelry

The following tools and materials can be used to clean silver jewelry.

  • baking soda (1/4 cup)
  • salt (1/3 cup)
  • towel
  • container (large enough to hold all the jewelry if you are dipping all of them them at the same time)
  • strainer
  • aluminum foil
  • liquid dish soap (1/4 cup)
  • plastic spoon
  • water (half a gallon)
  • stovetop

Instructions to Clean Silver Jewelry

The following simple steps are involved in the process of cleaning silver jewelry.

  • First, cover the container or pot with the aluminum foil. Gather the ingredients listed and pour everything in the container.
  • Use the spoon to stir the mix. Gather the silver jewelry. Place them in the pot.
  • Set the pot on the stove (if it isn’t already). Allow the mix to boil for no more than 5 minutes.
  • The next step to cleaning silver jewelry is removing the pot from the stove after 5 minutes.
  • Allow the mixture to cool down for a few minutes. Use the strainer and take everything out of the pot.
  • Get the jewelry and wash them with cold water. Set each one on the towel.
  • Let them dry completely.

Using Polishes and Silver Dips

When using silver dips and polishes, do not immerse it in the mixture longer than indicated. If you do, white stains will appear on the jewelry. Be sure to rinse each piece thoroughly. Any leftover stains might damage the ornament.

If there are no specific instructions, just dip the piece and quickly take it out. For drying, cotton cloth is usually used. Sunshine Cloth works just as well if not better, for cleaning silver jewelry. This material actually puts some anti-tarnish protection on the piece.

If using lacquer shields, it is best to apply the material on soft cloth and polish. Dipping might produce film in certain areas.

Tips and Warnings

Here are a few points to remember when cleaning. Use a large piece of cloth. When you have cleaned one piece, lay the piece on a separate cloth. Never use the area you used to dab the jewelry with the other pieces. Wipe with another section of the cloth.

Wipe the jewelry in an up and down motion. Keep wiping and cleaning silver jewelry until the tarnish no longer appears on the cloth. Count all the pieces if you are dipping them in a solution. You do not want to throw some jewelry along with the cleaning liquid.

There are special silver cleaning pastes for intricately designed ornaments. Apply some paste into a soft cloth and gently wipe. You can use also apply the paste on a wet toothbrush. This should help remove some of the deeply embedded tarnish. Clean in an up and down motion.

Do not move the toothbrush in a circular motion. It is not going to remove the dirt. Always follow the instructions for any silver dip you are using. Excessive application could tarnish the product even more.

Cleaning silver jewelry does not take a lot of time. But you need to use the right ingredients. Using the wrong materials might cause permanent damage and so, make sure the proper techniques and materials are used.