Homemade ways to clean silver jewelry

The best solution for cleaning jewelry is to use a special cleaner that can be found in any major store.

However, strong cleaning chemicals do not always go hand in hand with our preferences.

And it has been known for a long time that there are quite a few home ways to disenchant jewelry to make it shiny, beautiful and delight everyone again.

You don't have to turn into Cinderella and carefully scrub the surface of miniature treasures.

There are easier ways to do this.

You can find almost every ingredient in your own kitchen or on the shelf of a nearby grocery store. These are inexpensive but very effective ways to regain the glow and splendor of silver jewelry.

Tarnish of silver jewelery - how to deal with it?

Your grandmother or mother may have silver spoons, sugar bowls or decorative trays in their collection.

If they lie at the bottom of a drawer or hidden deep in a wardrobe, they may not look like silver at all.

The treasures once valuable and carefully polished before each family gathering have replaced the more accessible and less demanding everyday tools and utensils.

Gray and sometimes even black coating on silver objects is the oxidation of silver, the so-called patina. It is not dangerous to humans and it is a natural process.

There are several simple ways to restore them to their former glory and use the sugar bowl inherited from your great-grandmother. Start wearing the ring given by the first love. Wake up many memories, until more than once a tear turns in the eye.

Many people, having memories of the tedious polishing of silverware or other elements, think that silver jewelry requires a lot of care and maintenance, just like other types of jewelry.

Fortunately, there are still many ways to clean your silver jewelry without taking it anywhere else. And without having to spend your free time polishing and rubbing.

Here are some tips on how to do it yourself.

Soda, water, flour ... it won't make any cake

When it comes to home remedies, one of the most popular cleaning ingredients and methods is to mix baking soda with a teaspoon of water. Apply this paste-like mixture to the jewelry and let it sit for about 5 minutes.

Then use an old toothbrush to scrub the surface of the jewelry.

Baking soda removes dirt from both stone and silver, and can also be used to clean other jewelry because it is a harmless ingredient for our treasures.

Goldsmiths have always looked for ways to keep silver jewelry clean. Although today there are a lot of modern chemical mixtures, the home-made ones are sometimes irreplaceable.

Another, equally popular way is to use toothpaste. Silver jewelry must be soaked in a bowl of water with toothpaste, and then brush the paste with a soft toothbrush or nail brush. You can also apply a bit of toothpaste to your jewelry and brush it off.

Remember not to use a whitening toothpaste. These often contain small particles and highly concentrated bleaching ingredients that can scratch the jewelry or affect its color.

If you want to make sure that a piece is clean, you can rinse it and brush it again, but with a dry toothbrush.

Vinegar and lemon are not only great ingredients for a perfect cleaning in our homes.

A method that has been known since ancient times is to use lemon or vinegar mixed with water. This concoction will help remove dirt or sweat that accumulates over time on your jewelry.

You can even mix all three ingredients and clean the jewelry with a cloth soaked in the mixture.

If you are the lucky owner of the fireplace and you spent the winter evenings in its warmth, you can use ash to clean it. This is one of the oldest ways. However, here you have to be careful with the type of ash. Not  will work in such a situation. Coal ash can scratch silver jewelry and silverware.

After burning the wood, put the ash on a damp cloth and use it to wipe the ring or pendant you want to clean. You can also mix ash with lemon juice. After such cleaning, rinse the jewelry thoroughly and rub with a dry, soft cloth. It should shine.

Table salt, aluminum foil and hot water.

This method is ideal for small, fine and medium-sized items. The point is that the items to be cleaned must fit in the container or vessel you intend to clean.

At the bottom of the container, unfold the aluminum foil and cover it with table salt or baking soda (non-caustic baking soda!).

Place your silver items on it - rings, spoons, pendants, bracelets or even sugar bowls.

Pour it all over with hot, but not boiling water. Be careful not to burn yourself. The water must cover the items in the pan. If it is not, e.g. the sugar bowl is sticking out halfway, it will have to be repositioned in several minutes.

You do not have to do anything. Leave this peculiar mixture on for about 20-30 minutes.

When the time is up, you can take your silver treasures out of the container and wipe them with a damp, then a dry cloth.

The chemical reaction that takes place among the salt, aluminum and the silver tarnish makes the tarnish completely disappear. In this "magical" way, the patina disappears and reveals the former splendor of silver.

Now they will again arouse admiration.

How to take care of the stones in your jewelry?

The gemstones in your jewelry should be well cared for. You don't want to lose their natural color and shine.

Artipol's style refers to the natural beauty of stones. Our jewelry represent the highest quality  stones.

The stones have their own individual character, each is unique, and European certificates confirm their origin (you can find them in the description of each mineral, e.g. here).

But don't worry. Cleaning jewelry with stones is simple. The methods already mentioned will work in most cases.

Beautiful, blue lapis is a stone that is sensitive to ph and chemicals. Therefore, home cleaning methods will work very well here. The stone responds well to toothpaste. You can brush it gently with a brush and then wipe it dry after rinsing it with warm water.

Our other stones, such as topaz, amethyst, garnet, aquamarine, which have the so-called faceted cut, require cleaning, because soap is deposited on them. Especially when we wash our hands without taking off the jewelery.

The soap settles on the underside of the stone. It is quite a hard-to-reach place for cleaning. However, warm or hot water will be able to dissolve the soap. A sonic toothbrush or face brush that cleans nooks and crannies with vibrations will also help here.

Now you can admire the glow of your stones again.

<h3> Or maybe use special chemistry?

All natural stones can be cleaned with any stone cleaner.Just like those used for cleaning stone floors or tombstones. These are paraffin-based agents that work perfectly here.

Something even simpler?

Sometimes it is enough to rub the stone with a candle and gently heat the stone with a dryer. The melted paraffin will protect the stone. After polishing with a soft cloth it will shine again.

Remember that stones may have their own natural cracks. This is not a defect, but their natural appearance. The paraffin will additionally melt into the cracks and protect their surface.

Quick cleaning method when you are already out and you really don't have time ?

Use dishwashing detergent and warm water. If it is superficial small dirt, the liquid will wash it off and the jewelry will be like new again.

As you can see, there are a lot of home-made and natural methods of cleaning silver jewelry and stones, and none of them requires much effort.

However, if you prefer to refer to professionals, at Artipol we can clean your jewelry. Just send it to us.

Just take a moment to these beautiful items, and they will be able to enjoy you again and serve you in everyday life!