Jewellery Care in Kenya : How to Clean and Polish your Sterling Silver Jewelry

Routine cleaning and polishing keep your jewelry looking new and shiny for years to come. And in as much, most of us are well versed when it comes to shopping for jewelry, cleaning, polishing and overall care for this jewelry is something that many are not quite familiar with.

Silver jewelry are quite common in every jewelry box. Not a surprise at all, considering the fact that sterling silver is one of the most attractive and timeless metals we have to this day. One of the biggest mistake that people often make is neglecting their silver accessories.

Truth be told, if not care for, sterling silver can come from being the most attractive to be the most unattractive pieces ever. Dirt damages the quality and takes away the shine that these accessories should have.

This post is meant to ensure that you get the most out of the pieces in your jewelry box. And with that being said, here is a guide on how to clean and polish your sterling silver jewelry;

Preventive Routine

• Don’t just store, wear them – Did you know that wearing your jewelry quite often is recommended? By wearing the jewelry quite often means that you will always be aware of any dirt that might be settling in and when that happens you will have no options but to clean your jewelry.
• Put the jewelry away when doing chores – when doing household chores, you will be in contact with cleaning detergents. And because most of these cleaning detergents and chemicals contain a certain amount of Sulphur, they can tarnish your jewelry. So it’s advisable that you set aside your silver jewelry when doing the chores.
• Always store your jewelry in a safe place – your jewelry in an open space will tarnish them. So it’s best if you invest in a jewelry box. However, if you are on a tight budget and you are not able to afford a good jewelry box, you can store your jewelry in air-tight plastic bags. However, to avoid scratches, do not store multiple pieces in one bag.

The cleaning and polishing routine

• A thin paste of baking soda and water is all you need. Apply a good amount of the paste on your sterling silver pieces and gently rub the mixture covering all areas. You can use a toothbrush with soft bristles to reach areas that cannot be accessed with a soft sponge. When all is done, run your jewelry under warm water. Use a clean soft cloth to thoroughly dry the pieces.
• Where you feel that home cleaning is not something you would do, take the pieces to a professional silver jewelry cleaner. Like the saying goes, better safe than sorry. Let the professionals do the work for you.

Cleaning and polishing your jewelry restores the shine and gleam that sterling silver is known to have. Make this a routine.