Remember that beautiful sterling silver pendant you got as a gift? Or that delicate chain which you never wore? All because it got tarnished and corroded. And who’s fault was that? Taking care of silver can be tricky since it needs a lot of care just like any other precious metal. If not taken care, it loses its shine in seconds making it unwearable. Here are some easy hacks that will help you handle, store and clean your silver right at home.
* CLEANING PROCESS- When cleaning, use a soft and dry cloth. That’s all you need! No solutions or chemicals or acids whatsoever should be touched on your silver jewellery as it rubs away the protective lacquering making it easily tarnished.
- Sprinkling baking soda on your silver jewellery and rubbing with warm water will get rid of stains and tarnish as well.
- Another great way to bring back silver shine is to soak it in salt. In a pan, add at least 2-3 inches of water with salt and place an aluminum foil sheet at the base. Let this mixture boil and then add in the silver jewelry. Dry it and polish with a soft cloth.
- Soft-bristled brushes help clean silver easily. Use warm water with a bit of toothpaste and rub at the silver till it creates foam and removes stubborn dirt and marks from nooks and niches.
- Mixing a teaspoon of salt with white vinegar and applying it on silver jewelry will bring back its lost shine. Polishing with a soft cloth will help make it sparkle even more.
* HANDLING & STORAGE- Silver needs to be handled with care. It’s a delicate metal and during cleaning needs to be handled with gloves or a soft cloth.
- Don’t keep your silver jewellery in places of heat. You also cannot wrap them in plastic since it increases dampness and tarnishes faster. It needs to be stored in a clean dry place in air-tight boxes on a soft cloth or cotton base.