HOW TO CLEAN SILVER JEWELS, MAINTENANCE, STORAGE
Preventative care
Wear: You can avoid tarnish by wearing your jewelry often. The oils in your skin will “clean” the silver and keep it looking shiny.
Avoid exposure: Contact with household chemicals, perspiration, rubber, chlorinated water, or any substances which contain sulfur (e.g., mayonnaise, eggs, mustard, onions, latex, wool), will cause corrosion and tarnish — so it’s a good idea to remove silver jewelry when doing household chores. Direct sunlight also causes silver to tarnish, so be sure to take off your silver jewelry before you go swimming and sunbathing.
Lotions, cosmetics, hair spray and hair products, and perfumes are also “enemies” of silver and will accelerate tarnishing. There’s a reason generations of women have been getting dressed with jewelry last, as a finishing touch!
Storage: As exposure to air tarnishes it, storing silver in airtight plastic bags with anti-tarnish
strips is a great preventative measure. Just make sure you don’t store multiple jewelry pieces in
the same bag: silver is a soft metal, so the individual pieces can scratch each other. Link or
chain bracelets should be kept unclasped or unhooked to prevent scratching as well. If you can’t
use plastic bags, try to make sure that the storage area has low humidity. You can also place a
piece of chalk, a packet of activated charcoal, or a container of silica gel in the storage area
to minimize tarnish.
Polishing
Simply polishing your silver works well when the tarnishing is not too severe. It’s also the best method for cleaning oxidized silver, as you can stay away from the intentionally tarnished areas.
Silver is soft and can become scratched easily. You can use a special silver cloth to polish your items, but a lint-free flannel, microfiber, or other soft nonabrasive cloth will do as well. Do not use paper towels or tissues to polish your jewelry as they contain fibers that can scratch the silver.
When polishing, use long back-and-forth motions that mirror the grain of the silver. Do not rub in circles, as this will magnify any tiny scratches. Also, change to a different section
of your cloth frequently to avoid placing tarnish back on the silver.
Homemade silver cleaner
For cases when the polishing cloth isn’t enough to remove tarnish, you can make your own economically- and environmentally-friendly silver cleaner using ingredients from your kitchen.
It should be noted, however, that silver cleaners are not for all types of silver jewelry. You should not, for instance, ever immerse jewelry adorned with pearls or opaque gemstones (e.g. turquoise, opal, carnelian, onyx), as this could seriously damage these softer stones. (Give these pieces a very brief rinse if they become too dirty.)
Even for jewelry with clear gemstones (e.g. blue topaz, amethyst, garnet), take special care when using a silver cleaner: the chemicals could lodge under the gemstone settings or loosen any glue. And remember, do not use silver cleaners on your oxidized jewelry — stick to the polishing cloth instead.
After using any cleaner, be sure to thoroughly rinse your silver with running water or a clean,
damp cloth. This is especially important for detailed or etched items, since polish can stick
in small crevices and harden. After, dry the pieces with a microfiber cloth to prevent white water
spot stains from forming.
Soap and water:
Warm water and a mild, ammonia- and phosphate-free dishwashing soap should be your first line of defense if the polishing cloth fails to remove tarnish. Soap and water should also be used to clean your pieces before using any of the methods listed below.
Baking soda
and water: You might have heard that a non-whitening, non-gel toothpaste can be a good substitute
for commercial silver cleaners, but nowadays these basic toothpastes are hard to find or distinguish
from the toothpastes that will discolor your silver. Instead, make a paste of baking soda and water
and use a clean cloth to apply a pea-sized amount to the silver and polish. For etched, stamped or
detailed items, thin the paste with more water and use a clean, soft-bristled toothbrush to get the
cracks and crevices. Run the silver piece or pieces under running warm water, and dry with a clean
cloth.
Olive oil and lemon juice:
Mix 1/2 cup lemon juice with 1 tsp. olive oil in a bowl large enough to hold the cleaning solution
and a small microfiber cloth. Dip the cloth in the solution and wring it out so that it doesn’t
drip, then polish the silver, rinse, and dry.
White vinegar and baking soda:
Use this gentle cleaner to remove heavy tarnish that’s preventing you from polishing your silver.
Soak the tarnished piece in a solution of 1/2 cup white vinegar and 2 tbsp. baking soda
(be prepared for the fizzing!) for two to three hours, then rinse and dry.
Baking soda, salt, aluminum foil, and boiling water:
You can take advantage of a simple chemical reaction to clean your silver: all you’ll need is some baking soda, salt, and aluminum foil. Line a glass roasting pan or the kitchen sink with aluminum foil, dull side facing down. Place the silver pieces on top of the aluminum foil. Then pour boiling water over the pieces until they are covered and add 2 tbsp. each of baking soda and salt. Stir the solution to allow the baking soda to dissolve — you don’t want any granules scratching the metal.
The reaction causes the tarnish to transfer to the foil, and in about 5-10 minutes you’ll see the
tarnish “magically” disappear from the jewelry. (Be prepared for the smell of rotten eggs, though,
as the sulfide tarnish comes off the silver.) Using salad tongs or nitrile gloves
(not rubber gloves, which contain sulfur), remove the silver jewelry from the hot water or drain
into a colander. Rinse the jewelry with water, then dry and buff with a soft cloth.
Voila! Your silver should be sparkling clean and ready to keep you looking fabulous.
Combination:
If your pieces have very stubborn tarnish, you can use these treatments in succession to get them looking shiny again.
MAINTENANCE OF GOLD PLATED JEWELERY
Caring for Your Miansai Gold and Rose Plated Jewelry
Plating is a process where a layer of gold is placed on to coat the surface of another metal. As the jewelry is not 100% solid gold, extra care should be taken to maximize its lifespan. As it is a thin layer of gold, extra care should be taken to maximize its lifespan.
Anything plated will eventually tarnish with time and wear.
To decrease the chances of fading out, here are easy ways on keeping the luster of your gold plated jewelry.
Do not spray on perfume or other sprays while wearing your gold-plated jewelry.
Wait until your lotion or cream is dry or has been absorbed by your skin before you wear your gold plated ring, bracelet or necklace.
Substances like oil, nail polish, nail polish remover, chlorine, and perfume may react with metal/plated jewelry and cause it to tarnish. This is also true for sweat, so make sure you remove your gold plated jewelry when you exercise or doing anything requiring heavy work and when swimming.
After every use, clean your plated jewelry with a cotton ball or a very soft cloth to remove any dust and dirt. Gently rubbing the surface of your gold plated jewelry using a soft jewelry cloth, helps restore shine. Do *not* use a polishing cloth as this will strip away the plating.
If your jewelry needs more cleaning you may clean it with warm, soapy water. Soak it for a few minutes and you may clean it with a soft cloth. Stay away from jewelry cleaners and antibacterial soaps which may have certain components that will make your gold plated jewelry tarnish more quickly.
To avoid scratches, wrap your jewelry in a soft cloth after cleaning or keep it in a jewelry box separate from other types of jewelry you have. Small zip-locks work great.
Store like items together. Do not store gold plating and silver plating together. The different metals will cause each other to tarnish, fade and/or turn colors. Have different storage places for different colors of metals like gold and rose gold. Store in a dry area.