Protection of Sterling Silver Jewelry

Which girl or woman does not like to wear jewelry and which of these girls and women do not like shopping for it, when buying and wearing sterling silver jewelry are pleasurable acts. Not many people take good care of it though. As time goes by, they tend not to bother too much about their safe-keeping and just stick it somewhere to keep it safe. The net result is the Sterling silver jewelry loses its charm and the fascination wears off. Also, its life is very much reduced, necessitating buying it once more. This unnecessary expenditure can be avoided by taking care to keep it clean and sparkling; and by storing it in a proper way.

When you consider that it is not too difficult to keep sterling silver jewelry shining for years, it is a travesty of money and aesthetics to let it go astray. Some of the steps you need to take are given here.

You must always store it separate from other jewelry. Silver jewelry can develop scratches if handled carelessly. If it is subjected to friction with other materials, the scratches will only start being prominent.

If you are wearing sterling silver jewelry every day, remove it at bed time and wipe it with a soft cloth. Or, if you wear it only for parties or some such functions, do the same thing but, in addition, polish it. The sterling silver jewelry has been subjected to the oil that your skin secretes and the make-up you have been wearing. The cloth you use should be pure cotton, as polyester may scratch the jewelry.

Abrasives can destroy silver. Use cleaners of a non-abrasive variety to polish sterling silver jewelry. A soft sponge or cotton cloth should be dabbed with silver polish to wipe it over. Be careful not to let the polish touch the stones, if there are any, embedded in the jewelry. When you are done, rinse off the residue before storing it safely.

If plated, scrubbing should be avoided. Plated jewelry, by its very nature, will wear off after a given time. Re-plate it as and when necessary, if you want to use it repeatedly.

Never put on make-up before wearing your sterling silver jewelry. When make-up is fresh, it easily rubs off onto the jewelry and chemical reactions that take place will easily erode the jewelry. Let your make-up and perfume dry completely before you wear silver jewelry.