How to Wear and Care Silver Plated Jewelry
Silver is considered the least environmentally resistant precious material, so you will have to wear it carefully and take care of it all the time. This causes not only silver jewelry but also silver plated jewelry care.
The difference between these two types of decorations is quite big as silver jewelry is made of total silver and silver-plated is made of some kind of metal alloy with a thin silver sputtering that tends to damage or gets scratched after a while.
That's why some tips on how to care for silver jewelry doesn't work with its silver-plated or gold-plated analogs. We've decided to collect some useful info to share with you about how to care for silver-plated jewelry.
Top Secrets on How to Care About Silver-Plated Jewelry
To begin with, it is better to store jewelry in a box or casket, closed from light, away from heating. Never store products in the bathroom, as there is high humidity that is harmful to silver plating.
Light silver will darken over time (this is inevitable) and tarnish. To return it to its former shine, it will be necessary to periodically clean it with a special paste and polish it with a soft, lint-free cloth. You can also restore freshness and shine by washing the jewelry in warm soapy water with the addition of ammonia (a tablespoon per liter of water), rinsing with warm water and wiping dry with a soft cloth. But blackened silver cannot be cleaned with ammonia.
There is also a very special method on how to clean sterling silver plated jewelry, that helps much not only to get rid of dirt but also to return to your jewelry its gloss. To perform it, you'll need tin foil, a bowl of glass or plastic, boiled water and a bit of baking soda and salt. Cut foil to stripes and place it into the bowl. Add 2 table spoons of soda and a ¼ of table spoon of salt. Pour 2 glasses of boiled water to the bowl. Place your jewelry in the bowl and wait a bit. Do not rub your silver-plated pieces of jewelry not to damage the covering. Dry them with a soft piece of cloth.
It is necessary to clean jewelries and inserts carefully since dust and dirt contain microparticles of quartz, which can scratch the metal elements that are softer than quartz. You should be especially gentle with the jewelry inserts with glue - they need to be cleaned with a soft brush in a solution of washing powder.
Silver-plated jewelry can be refurbished with floated chalk mixed with ammonia; the mixture is applied to the product with a brush, allowed to dry, and then carefully polished to a shine.
Why Is It Tarnishing?
When learning how to clean silver- and gold-plated jewelry, it is necessary to know also why is it tarnishing. That process is quite essential as silver and gold are soft and delicate metals. And their plating is only of a few micron. When it contacts with some detergents, cosmetics, moistures (especially human sweat), it can darken and become dim. That's why it is better to remove jewelry when you are coming into sports, running, doing your housework etc.