Do you care a lot about your silver jewelry, but you don’t know how to clean your jewelry to restore its shine? It is true that we are talking about silver earrings, a necklace or a ring, we can notice oxidation deposits over time and the jewel tends to blacken upon contact with our skin and ambient air. In addition, in addition to oxidizing, you can also see some scratches. The shine is then no longer there at all! We then say to ourselves that we are good to go for a trip to our jeweler, but that is not your only option. Grandma knows all the little cleaning tips to clean jewelry and silver objects to revive their former beauty.
1) The right tools to clean your silver jewelry
To properly clean and polish silver jewelry, we advise you to have a soft cloth such as microfiber or chamois cloth. The chamois leather allows very effective polishing without damaging the contents of your jewelry box. A old toothbrush can remove stubborn stains without scratching the metal and can slip into the gaps in a silver chain or your costume jewelry. To clean your silver metal bracelets and rings, also think about bread crumbs ! Rub gently to polish them and make them shiny like the first day without chemicals.
2) Soapy water
When in doubt, it is better to opt for a basic cleaner such as Marseille soap or dishwashing liquid. Are your jewelry very dirty? So let them bathe 10 minutes in soapy water before polishing, rinsing and drying. Detergent can also be used as a replacement for soap to add shine. For less dirty jewelry, you can rub the silver directly with a clean cloth soaked in soapy water.
3) Toothpaste, also excellent for cleaning silver jewelry
Toothpaste erases oxidation stains very effectively. Get an old brush and a dab of toothpaste. Rub gently and watch the black or green spots give way to a beautiful new shine!
3) Head to the kitchen to pick up some food to clean your silver jewelry
You still have some lemon juice after making a recipe? Keep it safe to clean and shine your silver jewelry! A few drops on a toothbrush and a little elbow grease will work wonders on your finery. White vinegar has a slower effect than lemon juice, but remains very useful. To do this, leave your jewelry to bathe in a vinegar bath for 1 to 2 hours. If your rings do not display precious stones, you can leave them soak overnight in a little beer to remove oxidation. THE ketchup can also make your jewelry shine if you let them soak in the sauce for 5-10 minutes. Finally, a potato cooking water bath for a few hours will bring shine. After each of these operations, gently scrub, rinse thoroughly and dry each piece of jewelry.
4) Cold cigarette or wood ash
Wood or cigarette ash offers a whole range of unusual uses such as doing laundry… or remove oxidation on jewelry! To do this, dip a cloth in lemon juice and then in ashes. Then start cleaning your silver jewelry with gentle rubbing. Finally, rinse thoroughly and dry each accessory gently.
5) The baking soda bath to remove oxidized parts and make the jewelry shine
Here you have two solutions: the basic solution and the force majeure solution. The first comes in the form of a simple glass of water with a teaspoon of baking soda added. A bath for a few hours will allow remove dirt and traces of oxidation on silverware and jewelry. Then scrub them well with a toothbrush and polish with a cloth.
If nothing allows you to get your heavily oxidized silver jewelrymove on to the ultimate solution! Have a saucepan or basin of boiling water lined with a sheet of aluminum foil or into which you add a scoop. Then add baking soda. Immerse your jewelry in it for a few minutes while monitoring carefully. A chemical reaction occurs: it attracts the sulfide which tarnishes and blackens the jewelry on the aluminum. Once the jewel has regained its shiny appearance, we wipe it and polish it. However, don’t do it if there are precious stones on your accessories. The heat breaks the stones… In this case, only the jewelry store will be able to help you.
Also find out how to take care of your gold jewelry. We loved sharing with you all our grandmother’s tips for making this precious metal shine!