How do I clean my jewellery?
This is quite possibly the most frequently asked question so we are here to help!
All jewellery will get dirty with wear and silver does tarnish. This can happen whether it has been worn or not. This is perfectly natural and normal and it is easy enough to bring back the sparkle.
Step 1.
Wash in warm soapy water to remove any grease or dirt. This does not remove tarnish.
Step 2.
There are several ways of dealing with tarnish, we normally use a silver dip solution like Talk Town or Goddards (ours are eco friendly) A solution means it will go into all the hard to reach parts which you cannot get to with a cloth.
Step 3.
Rinse thoroughly under clean running water and dry really well.
Step 4.
Use a soft polishing cloth gently rub the surface to bring up the shine again - this may not be always be necessary.
Same as above but don't leave it too long in the solution as the gold can become a little paler in colour.
Sometimes the silver can tarnish and come though the gold plating so I recommend the same as above but not for too long as the gold can become paler in colour.
Do not rub with a polishing cloth as it will wear down the plating.
Pearls are very delicate, so do not use perfumes and sprays anywhere near them.
Step 1. Wash them in warm water with the mildest dish soap or baby soap. Rinse well.
Step 2. DO NOT dip the pearls into silver dip as it will ruin them beyond repair. If the silver is tarnished use a soft polishing cloth to rub the silver taking care not to rub the pearls.
Step 3.
We use a fine brush with silver dip to touch the silver round the pearl so that the solution can react on the silver surface. Wash immediately in clean running water to avoid any contact of solution with the pearl.
Stones with silver
Diamonds are perfectly fine and will not be affected by the cleaning process for silver. Normally as a rule, transparent stones are not affected but opaque stones such as turquoise are porous so they should be treated in the same careful way as pearls.
Alternative to silver dip solution
Another method which works well with jewellery and silverware (such as silver cutlery). After washing, place some aluminium foil in the base of a non metallic dish. Add a sprinkling of soda crystals on top of the foil and add hot water - the water will remove the tarnish on any silver touching the foil.
If in doubt please get in touch and ask. You can email us pictures if you live too far away, or pop in to get advise. We will also give them a clean free of charge!
Posted on February 19 2024