Caring for your 925 sterling silver jewellery
Sterling silver, like other precious metal alloys, can oxidise with time. But properly maintained silver jewellery improves with age and develops a lush patina. Care for your silver jewellery properly and it will reward you with a long life.
Ultimately, how long your jewellery lasts comes down to your lifestyle and environment, including:
- What ends up on your jewellery i.e. products and chemicals:
- How you look after your jewellery; and
- How it is stored.
Things that can cause tarnish
Pools, spas and chlorine: This one is very possibly one of the worst offenders. Sterling silver can be affected after just a couple dips in a heavily chlorinated spa or pool due to the chemicals. If there's one thing you just don't do to your jewellery, it's this.
Sweat: Daily exposure to the salt and chemicals in your sweat can really take its toll on your jewellery. It’s best to try to remember to remove your jewellery before hitting the gym.
Hair products, lotions, sunscreen, etc: The impacts your products can have on your jewellery can vary, so a rule of thumb is to simply try to remember to put on your jewellery after you’ve applied any products including moisturiser, perfumes, makeup, etc. and if you are sunbathing with sunscreen on, it’s best to simply remove your jewellery for the duration of your activity.
Cleaning (and how often)
Daily maintenance: To keep your piece in the best shape, you should simply wipe the piece down with a soft cloth after each use. If you know that it has been exposed to a bit more that day than normal (ex: skincare/hair products, sweat, etc), rinsing in warm water and drying thoroughly with a soft cloth is a good idea. Removing your jewellery before you sleep will also help it last a lot longer.
If you know that your piece has been exposed to EVEN more than normal i.e a day at the beach or lying by the pool (although not recommended), or it's just been a while since you’ve last cleaned it, you can do a deeper clean by following the steps below:
- Prepare a bowl of warm water with just a tiny squeeze of a mild, clear dishwashing liquid.
- Let your piece soak for 5-10 minutes.
- Gently wipe your piece off with a soft cloth, or use a very soft toothbrush if you need to get into areas with a lot of detail.
- Rinse thoroughly, several times if necessary, to make sure all of the soap is off.
- Dry off the piece completely before wearing or storing your jewellery.
If your jewellery has developed a darker tarnish or needs a little more TLC than the above bath can provide, you can clean it chemically in a couple different ways.
Polishing cloths: These are soft cloths that have a polishing compound already in them, any that say they are compatible with sterling silver should be fine. The less abrasive the better. Be gentle, you shouldn’t have to buff aggressively. Harsh and/or excessive polishing can be damaging over time.
You will know the polishing cloth is working when it starts turning black. Note: the black on the cloth is not all from the dirt/tarnish, it is simply the cloth being activated.
Polishing liquids or creams: There are many different types of liquid and cream jewellery cleaners. Make sure to choose one that is meant for sterling silver jewellery.
Please note: Always check before chemically cleaning a piece with gemstones in it. It is usually safe to gently go over gemstones with the polishing cloths (rinse them with gentle soap and warm water afterwards to make sure you remove any remaining chemicals), but never submerge jewellery with gems into a liquid or cream cleaner without checking compatibility first. Some gemstones can be damaged by strong liquid jewellery cleaners.
Storage
To properly store your sterling silver jewellery when not in use, place it in an airtight container or bag (such as a small ziplock) after you’ve completed the daily cleaning (make sure it is completely dry - never put a damp or wet piece into a sealed bag - this will cause rapid tarnish).
We know that remembering to put your jewellery in little containers every night can be tiresome, however, if you really want your pieces to last, this is a great step to take.