Jewelry Care
Tips for Sterling Silver
Sterling silver naturally tarnishes when exposed to sulfurs in the air. This causes the metal’s top surface to change colors. Tarnish can be yellow, gray, black or even a brown color. We're all familiar with sterling silver flatware tarnishing every year, and the time and care its take to clean before the holidays. This is the same process that happens with sterling silver jewelry.
Ways to help prevent your jewelry from tarnishing:
-Store your jewelry in a cool, dry place. Do not store jewelry in the bathroom.
-Keep your jewelry in an airtight container or zip lock bag.
-Store each piece of jewelry separately to prevent rubbing.
-Place a piece of chalk in your jewelry box. This helps absorb moisture, which will slow down the process of tarnishing.
-Or purchase 3M Tarni-Shields anti-tarnish strips and place them in your airtight jewelry container or zip-lock bag. (they can be purchased here: http://www.marshawhitney.com/cat.php?cat_id=26)
-Put jewelry on last, after usage of hairsprays, lotions, make-up, etc. Take jewelry off first when returning home. Minimize contact with any chemicals.
-Clean jewelry gently every few wearings using mild dish soap and an old soft toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly. Blot dry using a clean soft cloth. When jewelry is completely dry, store in airtight container.
If your jewelry tarnishes there are a few ways to remove it:
-Clean jewelry as soon as tarnish is visible. The longer tarnish is allowed to develop on your sterling silver the harder it will be to clean
-Use a polishing cloth specifically designed to remove sterling silver tarnish. Lightly rub the tarnish off the top surface of your jewelry using the cloth. These cloths are effective and do not damage stones or other components in your sterling silver jewelry. The cloths are available for sale at most jewelry stores or in the jewelry department of department stores such as Macy's or Target.
-Liquid Jewelry Cleaner. This product works very quickly, but use ONLY if the jewelry is sterling silver metal alone, no gemstones or enamels, etc. The harsh chemicals can damage, stones, coloring or other adding elements of your jewelry. Do not leave jewelry in the liquid for more than a few seconds and make sure to rinse the jewelry VERY thoroughly with water. Dry with a clean lint-free cloth. You may repeat if tarnish is still visible. Then use a silver polishing cloth to polish jewelry back to a shiny finish.
-You may also take your jewelry to a jewelry store and have it polished. There is usually a fee that will depend on whether stones need to be removed or other variables, as well as the difficulty of the job.
Tips for copper jewelry care:
-Clean your copper jewelry as soon as you notice that it is becoming dingy or dirty. This will depend on how often you wear it. To clean it, prepare a mixture of warm water and a few drops of mild soap. Then dip a soft rag into the mixture and wipe your copper clean. Rinse with clean water and dry the jewelry gently with a soft cloth
-Polish your copper jewelry to maintain the pink color and shine. Do this every time you see the color darkening. Prepare a cup of lemon juice and add a dash of salt. Dip your copper jewelry (unsealed or unlacquered only) into the lemon juice and swirl it around a bit. This will remove the patina that comes with tarnishing. Remove your jewelry and rinse it off thoroughly with water. Let the jewelry dry completely before wearing it. You can also use a jewelry polishing cloth to polish your copper if you don't have lemon juice handy.
-Store your copper jewelry in a plastic zipper bag to prevent air from tarnishing it when you aren't wearing it. On the other hand, you can let it develop a rich patina if you like that look.
-If jewelry is lacquered or coated, use only a soft damp cloth to gently wipe the jewelry to remove oils and fingerprints. Do not use jewelry polishing cloths or liquids as they can scratch or damage the protective coating.
-If your copper jewelry is unsealed or unlacquered, try not to pick up the jewelry by the copper parts. Copper tarnishes wherever oils from your fingers touch it....fingerprints happen!
-If you've purchased copper jewelry from SuStudio Jewelry and aren't sure if the jewelry is lacquered, contact me and send a pic of the piece in question and I should be able to tell you.
--Do not use silver polish on copper. Many silver polishes have abrasives that can scratch the soft surface of copper.
Sterling silver naturally tarnishes when exposed to sulfurs in the air. This causes the metal’s top surface to change colors. Tarnish can be yellow, gray, black or even a brown color. We're all familiar with sterling silver flatware tarnishing every year, and the time and care its take to clean before the holidays. This is the same process that happens with sterling silver jewelry.
Ways to help prevent your jewelry from tarnishing:
-Store your jewelry in a cool, dry place. Do not store jewelry in the bathroom.
-Keep your jewelry in an airtight container or zip lock bag.
-Store each piece of jewelry separately to prevent rubbing.
-Place a piece of chalk in your jewelry box. This helps absorb moisture, which will slow down the process of tarnishing.
-Or purchase 3M Tarni-Shields anti-tarnish strips and place them in your airtight jewelry container or zip-lock bag. (they can be purchased here: http://www.marshawhitney.com/cat.php?cat_id=26)
-Put jewelry on last, after usage of hairsprays, lotions, make-up, etc. Take jewelry off first when returning home. Minimize contact with any chemicals.
-Clean jewelry gently every few wearings using mild dish soap and an old soft toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly. Blot dry using a clean soft cloth. When jewelry is completely dry, store in airtight container.
If your jewelry tarnishes there are a few ways to remove it:
-Clean jewelry as soon as tarnish is visible. The longer tarnish is allowed to develop on your sterling silver the harder it will be to clean
-Use a polishing cloth specifically designed to remove sterling silver tarnish. Lightly rub the tarnish off the top surface of your jewelry using the cloth. These cloths are effective and do not damage stones or other components in your sterling silver jewelry. The cloths are available for sale at most jewelry stores or in the jewelry department of department stores such as Macy's or Target.
-Liquid Jewelry Cleaner. This product works very quickly, but use ONLY if the jewelry is sterling silver metal alone, no gemstones or enamels, etc. The harsh chemicals can damage, stones, coloring or other adding elements of your jewelry. Do not leave jewelry in the liquid for more than a few seconds and make sure to rinse the jewelry VERY thoroughly with water. Dry with a clean lint-free cloth. You may repeat if tarnish is still visible. Then use a silver polishing cloth to polish jewelry back to a shiny finish.
-You may also take your jewelry to a jewelry store and have it polished. There is usually a fee that will depend on whether stones need to be removed or other variables, as well as the difficulty of the job.
Tips for copper jewelry care:
-Clean your copper jewelry as soon as you notice that it is becoming dingy or dirty. This will depend on how often you wear it. To clean it, prepare a mixture of warm water and a few drops of mild soap. Then dip a soft rag into the mixture and wipe your copper clean. Rinse with clean water and dry the jewelry gently with a soft cloth
-Polish your copper jewelry to maintain the pink color and shine. Do this every time you see the color darkening. Prepare a cup of lemon juice and add a dash of salt. Dip your copper jewelry (unsealed or unlacquered only) into the lemon juice and swirl it around a bit. This will remove the patina that comes with tarnishing. Remove your jewelry and rinse it off thoroughly with water. Let the jewelry dry completely before wearing it. You can also use a jewelry polishing cloth to polish your copper if you don't have lemon juice handy.
-Store your copper jewelry in a plastic zipper bag to prevent air from tarnishing it when you aren't wearing it. On the other hand, you can let it develop a rich patina if you like that look.
-If jewelry is lacquered or coated, use only a soft damp cloth to gently wipe the jewelry to remove oils and fingerprints. Do not use jewelry polishing cloths or liquids as they can scratch or damage the protective coating.
-If your copper jewelry is unsealed or unlacquered, try not to pick up the jewelry by the copper parts. Copper tarnishes wherever oils from your fingers touch it....fingerprints happen!
-If you've purchased copper jewelry from SuStudio Jewelry and aren't sure if the jewelry is lacquered, contact me and send a pic of the piece in question and I should be able to tell you.
--Do not use silver polish on copper. Many silver polishes have abrasives that can scratch the soft surface of copper.