Silver Jewellery Care
Looking after your Rachel Lucie Jewellery
*This is not suitable for any silver jewellery with an oxidized or antique finish, or any plated silver jewellery*
Sterling silver will become tarnished over time due to contact with the air and skin, so is best stored in a clean, dry place. Ziplock bags are ideal for this, or simply keeping out of the fresh air in a jewellery box.
If your jewellery could do with a freshen up, or has become quite tarnished, I have some tips on a really easy and safe way to clean silver jewellery, using normal products you will find at home. I use this to clean silver that has come back from galleries to keep them looking 'tip top', and find that it also brings up the gems and pearls well, too.
This is suitable for semi-precious stones and non-dyed pearls - dyed pearls or artificially coloured stones may loose their colour, so please check before use.
You will need:
tin foil (about 20cm square)a dish or tray (plastic or china, not metal)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
pinch of sodium bicarbonate
1 drop of Fairy (or other brand washing up liquid)
hot water from the kettle
Instructions:
lay the foil in the dish, dull side up, add all the other ingredients.gently place any tarnished rings, chains, bracelets and earrings into the dish, making sure that the silver is totally covered in water and is touching the foil in at least one place.
you should see some results within a few seconds (and notice a rather stinky eggy smell, too! This is the sulphur dioxide which caused the tarnish being released back in the air)
leave for 5 minutes, giving the bowl a gentle jiggle every now and then.
take out of the bowl and gently rinse in clean water, lay out to dry
You may want to finish off with a silver cloth or simply a clean soft dusting cloth once dry to get a good buff.
Remember that silver, semi-precious stones and pearls don't like skin products (such as sun cream and body lotions) or perfume, so make sure that you put these on before your jewellery.