Get your baubles looking shiner than ever with these quick cleaning tips.
The good news is that it's very simple to keep your jewellery clean. It just requires a jewellery polishing cloth. The key is to take good care of the pieces and polish them on a consistent basis.
Precious Metals Can Get Dirty and Tarnished from Handling and Everyday Wear
Jewellery gets dirty from wear and tear, or even from transport and handling. Also, precious metals react to the oxygen and sulfur in the air- tarnish gradually occurs when sulfur becomes bound to the surface of the metal.
Preventing and Limiting Tarnishing and Staining is the Best Approach
The best way to prevent tarnishing and maintain a piece's lustrous appearance is to keep your jewellery in a sealed bag when it isn’t in use or being displayed. This limits its exposure to the oxygen and sulfur floating in the air. When placed in a sealed bag, your jewellery must also be completely dry, because exposure to water can cause tarnishing as well.
Always Clean Jewellery with a Polishing Cloth
The best option for cleaning jewellery is to use a jewellery cleaning cloth. Each cloth lasts for dozens of uses. Hand polishing jewellery is a great way to keep it shiny, and will not damage its patina. If done on a consistent basis, hand polishing with a jewellery cleaning cloth is the only method needed to keep your inventory looking beautiful and new.
Make cleaning easier next time.
Remove rings when washing your hands or applying lotions, to keep the settings clean. And after wearing, wipe body oils and perfume off pearls with a soft cloth. Silver's shinier the more it's worn (the friction slows down tarnishing), but storing pieces in anti-tarnish bags can help. You can also try Connoisseurs Silver Wipes, designed for cleaning silver.
Care tips
Jewellery may be damaged by direct contact with sprays such as hairsprays, perfumes, deodorants. Detergents and salt water will also damage plated jewellery. Add jewellery last when dressing. Remember do not dry jewellery off with paper towels or tissues, always use a soft cloth
Never wear your jewellery in the bath, in bed or when exercising. Always remove your jewellery when doing heavy work such as gardening or moving. Never immerse your jewellery in chlorine, salt water, mineral springs, soap or suntan / hand lotion. All can cause unreasonable stress and wear and tear.