On this site we concentrate on leather, wood and silver jewelry…
and ok, you have bought some wonderful pieces…
but over time they dull or get dirty…
so how do you keep them looknig their best, how do you clean your jewelry
Cleaning Silver Jewelry
most silver jewelry will tarnish over time…there is a type of silver that resists tarnishing more that the others called argentium, but most sterling silver will start to look duller about a month after you expose it to the air.
this is called tarnishing, it is a fine layer of oxides building up on the surface…
the silver and other metals ( 92.5 percent pure silver and 7.5 per cent other metals – mostly copper)
the addition of the other metals makes the silver harder, so it doesn’t wear away as quickly…
you can easily remove this layer at the first sgn by using a coth to wipe your jewelry down….
if this doesn’t remove it then it is worth investing in a jewelry polishing cloth -this contains very mild cleaning agents and won’t scratch the surface….
you may see online recommendations of using toothepaste or baking soda…
both of these are quite abrasive and may scratch the surface of your jewelry…
hte other methods you may see is to use chemicals like acetone or bleach…please don’t be tempted with these…
what you are trying to d ois to remove any contaminants from the surface…
as you handle the pieces of jewelry you leave oils and sweat on the surface…i have actually seen fingerprints on jewelry…
but if you wipe it down after each use and even store it properly then you will extend the time between hte tarnishing…
but you should only need very gentle cleaning to restore the lustre…
it may need a gentl wash with a coule of drops of dishwashing soap and a cottonbud…
wiping it over gently will remove the tarnish, if this fails then break out the cleaning cloth…
storing silver jewelry
how you treat your jewelry will determine how it looks…
after removing it and leaing it in hte open on the top will cause it to tarnish quickly…
blackening and not looking its best…
if you can remove sunlight , moisture and heat from your jewelry then it wil lhave a long tarnish free life…
wiping hte piece down with a soft cloth after use then…
storing each piece in a plastic bag, with an anti tarnish strip and removing as much of the air as possible before sealing the bag will extend the non tarnished lifetime…
I hope this advice will keep your sterling silver jewelry as tarnish free as possible…
if not then you know to use either dishwashing soap or the cleaning cloth to bring back the shine…
but what about the other types of jewelry…
the leather jewelry….
cleaning leather jewelry
leather jewelry can be a little more fragile than silver, but with care can last as long and stay in as good a condition with a little care…
leather care and cleaning is very simple as long as it is done routinely….
if the leather is left ot dry out and crack it becomes more difficult to restore it to it’s former glory…
so if the leather is still supple then trying to keep it dry ,wiping over with a very slightly damp cloth or using a proprietry leather cleaner will keep it clean.
a little leather conditioner after cleaning will keep it at it’s peak…
storing leather jewelry
if you choose t ostore your jewelry in a plastic bag then it may sweat and cause a mold growth on the surface.
ideally it needs storing out of heat and sunlight , but in a breathable bag…
periodic cleaning and conditioning will prolrng its life…
if you find a white powder on the surface then cleaning with a littel rubbing alcohol and water should remove it or use of a germicide soap and a little water will remove the mold…
with a little care your leather jewelry will last a long time…
just keep it out of the water….
and the other alternative jewelry medium wood. how do you care for that…