In order for your jewelry to remain shiny for as long as possible, a certain amount of precaution is of course required. Since silver is known to oxidize over time, we have a few tips and tricks for you to prevent this.
- Store low air
Try to store your jewelry as low as possible air. Since sulfur in the air is responsible for discoloration, it is helpful to store your jewelry in a place that is slightly less exposed to air. Tissue paper is often used by suppliers for transport, because it is less air permeable and so oxidation can be well prevented. So put your jewelry for example in tissue paper and then in your jewelry box when you do not wear them.
- Do not wear during sports
Another way to prevent oxidation is not to wear your jewelry during sports. Since we know that sulfur is responsible for the chemical process and discoloration of our silver jewelry, you should keep your jewelry away from excessive sweat if possible. Since the body secretes sulfur onto the skin through sweat, this can only accelerate the discoloration of your jewelry.
- Take off jewelry before showering/bathing
Taking off your jewelry before showering is another precautionary step, as soap and shampoo can be dangerous to delicate jewelry.
- Make silver jewelry shine again after discoloration
Of course, you can also find aids for cleaning silver jewelry in specialized stores. There are also so-called silver baths, silver cleaning cloths and ultrasonic cleaning devices with which you can get your silver jewelry clean again. Ultrasonic baths can remove sebum and surface impurities to make your jewelry shine again. Tarnished surfaces, on the other hand, are better removed with a chemical silver bath, as this can specifically attack and remove the silver sulfide.
Often small household remedies are enough to get your jewelry clean again. A very effective method to get silver jewelry shiny again is an aluminum-salt bath.
For this you bring 500 ml of water to a boil and dissolve about 80g - 100g of salt in it. While the water is boiling, carefully wrap your jewelry in aluminum foil and place it in a plastic bowl . Then pour your salt solution into the plastic bowl and let it soak for 2-3 minutes. After your Aluminim salt bath, rinse your jewelry with lukewarm water and then polish it with a cotton cloth. The aluminum foil releases electrons that are amplified by the salt water and thus attack and dissolve the discoloration (silver sulfide) on your jewelry.
