Maintain Your Jewellery: caring for your gold, silver and stainless steel jewellery.
Updated: Jun 10, 2021
How To Care For Gold Filled Jewellery.
In Amastouchwhenever ,our preferred method of jewellery making is the jewellery filling method as opposed to the plating method. The closest to fine jewellery is filled jewellery because filled jewellery contains bigger amounts of the fine metals like gold , while plated jewellery contains just a small portion or thin layer of the fine metals. The thin layer of the fine metal on plated jewellery wears off quickly and soon you the base metal will be visible and may cause skin irritations to some. The filled jewellery on the other hand is the best for people who are prone to skin irritations and with the thick deposit of the fine metal ontop of the base metal, when very well taken care of, it lasts longer with little tarnish effect over a long period of time.
Caring for gold filled jewellery is relatively easy. You need to be aware of what may cause it to tarnish and give it a good clean when necessary. Gold filled jewellery is far more durable than gold plated jewellery but it will age at different rates depending on how you treat it. Wearing it on the beach for a week and slathering it in suncream is not wise; keeping it away from harsh substances and giving it a clean every now and again is!
Everyday maintenance of gold filled jewellery.
Take off your gold filled jewellery at night and before you pop it on your bedside table give it a gentle rub with an absorbent soft cotton cloth.
If you've been to the gym or at the beach then rinse your gold filled jewellery in warm water and then dry it with the same absorbent soft cloth.
What causes gold filled jewellery to tarnish?
Swimming pools and hot tubs... just don't do it! The chemicals used are harsh and will damage your gold filled jewellery. If you wear it accidentally clean it thoroughly as soon as possible, see below!
Working out... getting sweaty at the gym is not advised whilst wearing your jewellery; take it off!
Cosmetics, cosmetics remover and sun lotion... Put your jewellery on last and take it off first. If you have a day at the beach and your jewellery ends up covered in sunscreen then give it a good scrub as soon as possible!
How to do a deep clean of gold filled jewellery
Fill a large bowl with warm water. As warm as is comfortable to keep your hands in is about right. Use a large serving bowl so it doesn't cool too quickly.
Mix a teaspoon of Fairy liquid into the warm water thoroughly.
Pop your jewellery into the bowl and leave it to soak for 3 minutes.
Lift it out and place onto a soft towel, don't rinse yet!
Use a super soft toothbrush, these are perfect, and work your way gently across/along your gold filled jewellery making sure the bristles get into every nook and cranny.
Rinse under a running tap of warm water. Use about as hot as you can handle; it will help your jewellery dry quickly.
Place the jewellery back on your towel and use a soft cotton cloth the dry and throughly as possible.
Leave overnight between two dry cotton cloths to dry perfectly.
How to store gold filled jewellery
First give it a clean, and dry throughly. See instructions above! Then the key is to store your gold filled jewellery somewhere airtight, small tupperwares are perfect! Pop them in a small plastic bag first to stop tangles and then keep somewhere dry.
The Best Ways To care For Your Sterling Silver Jewellery.
Whether you accessorize your wardrobe exclusively with silver jewellery or you only have a few special pieces, you’ve probably found yourself wondering at some point what the best way is to take care of and clean your silver jewellery.
Understanding Why Your Sterling Silver Tarnishes
Sterling silver is an alloyed metal, normally made of 92.5% pure silver and other metals. Sterling silver is a popular metal because of its affordability and malleability, but it also tarnishes quickly because of its composition.
If you’re looking at a piece of jewellery that is darkened or appears dirty, then your silver has tarnished; but, there’s no need to neglect this piece or get rid of it!
Tarnish is simply the result of a chemical reaction with oxygen or sulfur particles in the air. With a few easy-to-follow tips, you can take care of your sterling silver jewellery and make it last for years to come!
Preventing Tarnish With These Daily Wearing Tips.
Knowing what’s harmful to your sterling silver jewellery is the best way to combat tarnish. For your daily wearing, we’ve put together this list of tips:
Wear it often: Believe it or not, your skin’s natural oils will help keep silver jewellery shiny. One of the easiest ways to prevent tarnish is to simply wear your silver often as opposed to letting it sit in a jewellery box unworn.
Remove during household chores: Substances with additional sulphur like household cleaners, chlorinated water, perspiration, and rubber will accelerate corrosion and tarnish. It’s a good idea to remove sterling silver completely before cleaning.
Keep out of direct sunlight: Before you hit the beach or pool, be sure to remove your silver jewellery. Sunlight can cause silver to tarnish as well.
Put your jewellery on last: For generations, women have been putting their jewellery on last and that’s for good reason! Lotions, makeups, hair spray and perfumes will accelerate tarnishing.
How To Clean Your Sterling Silver Jewellery.
There are countless at-home methods for cleaning your silver jewellery. You’ve probably found yourself faced with endless options, wondering which are the best. Well, here’s the silver cleaning methods that our jewellers suggest for your at-home cleanings:
Soap and water: This is our most recommended method because of the gentleness of soap and water. This should really be your first line of defense before trying anything else.
Baking soda and water: If you come across suggestions to use toothpaste, we highly recommend you ignore that tip and use baking soda and water instead. When toothpastes were simple non-whitening, non-gel based pastes, they could be used on your jewellery. However, they include many more ingredients now that may damage your silver. Instead make a paste from baking soda and water, apply a small amount onto a cloth or tooth brush and scrub gently.
White vinegar and baking soda: This gentle cleaning method is great for removing heavy tarnish. Soak your sterling silver in ½ cup of white vinegar and 2 tbsp of baking soda (combine these in the sink and prepare yourself for the fizzing and foam) for two to three hours. Rinse jewelry and pat dry.
Finish with a polish: After you’ve given your jewellery a good cleaning, you can finish the process by using a polishing cloth that’s specifically for sterling silver.
You can repeat this process as often as needed. Remember, the key to keeping your sterling silver clean is to keep up with regular cleanings to remove tarnish as it builds. Your job becomes much more difficult if you let a piece accumulate a lot of tarnish and then try to remove it all at once.
There are many other methods that you’ll come across, but we highly suggest these three because of how gentle they are on your silver jewellery.
How To Properly Store Your Silver Jewellery.
Use an air-tight container: any container can be used to store your silver, as long as its air-tight. Zip-lock bag are great, but you can also find specialty jewellery bags for a more attractive option.
Keep in a cool, dark place: as mentioned earlier, sunlight, heat and moisture accelerate tarnishing. Be sure to keep your silver in a cool, dark place.
Store pieces individually: storing your pieces separately prevents any chance of jewellery scratching or tangling with each other.
Consider anti-tarnish strips: you can throw in some anti-tarnish strips with your jewellry to help prevent tarnishing.
Do not store in paper, cardboard, or cotton-filled boxes: these boxes may contain traces of sulphur which will contribute to tarnishing.
Products That Help Prevent Tarnish.
There are a few other things you may try when looking for ways to prevent your sterling silver jewellery from tarnishing.
Store jewellery with chalk: If you throw a few pieces of chalk in with your sterling silver, the chalk will absorb the moisture and help prevent tarnishing.
Use silica packs: When you buy new clothing or shoes, sometimes you’ll find silica packs in with them. Hold onto these and toss them in your jewellery box. They’re great for absorbing moisture!
Anti-tarnish cloths: Linning your jewellery box with anti-tarnish cloths is a great idea. These cloths absorb sulphur and moisture from the air and are usually chemically treated to prevent tarnish.
Our Final Say.
All in all, keeping your sterling silver clean comes down to maintaining a balance of regular at-home care and professional cleaning appointments. We suggest an annual cleaning by professionals for all jewellery.