How to clean silver with stones?

Silver jewelry has been known since ancient times. The valuable metal keeps its shape perfectly, has a noble color and luster, and its appearance only improves over time.

Silver, like gold, is very popular with women. You can wear it at any age and with a variety of outfits. Silver items are often decorated with precious stones. But this metal needs some care so that it does not lose its attractiveness.

The easiest and most reliable way to clean your jewelry is to take it to a special workshop. Professionals use special tools and compounds that will cope with any contamination gently and successfully. But the opportunity and desire to visit such an institution is not always there.

Various specialized jewelry cleaners are now available on the market. They will carefully and thoroughly cleanse your treasures. But often this is not the most budgetary option. The main thing is to act strictly according to the instructions:

• Laundry soap is a universal option that almost everyone has at hand. It is necessary to grate it or grind it in any other way. Add a tablespoon of the product to a liter of warm water, stir well and place the decoration there. After an hour, rinse off the remnants of the composition and wipe the object dry.

• Liquid detergents such as shampoos, shower gels, and dishwashing detergents are also good for cleaning. You need to add about a teaspoon of liquid to water and place the product there for an hour. At the end, be sure to remove the solution and dry the decoration with a cloth.
• In the arsenal of any housewife there is the usual baking soda.A small amount should be diluted to a mushy mass in water. Using a brush or sponge, brush the surface of the object to be cleaned and leave to work for a while. Then remove the composition and wipe off the decoration.
• Many people keep citric acid at home. It will help you quickly get rid of blackness on silver. Heat the water and dilute the acid in it in a ratio of 1 to 5. Soak the product for a while, and then wipe it dry.
• The remedy that any person has in the bathroom is toothpaste. With its help, silver products can be restored to their previous shine and spectacular appearance. Rub the paste over the ring with a rag or brush, rinse off the rest of the product and dry the item.
• If you put a silver jewelry for a while in medical alcohol, then it will effectively cope with dirt and darkening.
• You can also find a faithful assistant in your home medicine cabinet. This role will be played by budget ammonia.

When cleaning silver jewelry at home, do not forget about one more tool.

A good effect can be achieved by if you use chalk. It needs to be crushed to a powdery state, add water and prepare a paste. She has to handle all the bends of the jewelry well. After that, do not forget to traditionally rinse and dry.

A huge number of stones are used for the design of silver jewelry. The only exception is diamonds. They are traditionally framed with gold. But natural materials have a different structure, and therefore cleaning products with them has some peculiarities.

Organic materials are very porous and can absorb corrosive solutions. It is best to avoid exposure to strong chemicals with alkalis or acids and alcohol solutions when cleaning them:

• Amber and ivory can be soaked in warm water and treated with a soft cloth. In case of heavy contamination, try to prepare a mild soapy solution and send the jewelry there for 5 minutes. Then dry it with a cloth.
• Coral does not tolerate any active influences. It can be processed with a velvet cloth, and if the jewelry is heavily soiled in the metal part, try to isolate the insert from it, and only then clean the silver. It is better not to wash such a decoration at all.
• If the silver jewelry is decorated with wood, it is better not to soak it for a long time and not to use strong chemicals. Treat the wooden part with soapy water. The main thing is that there are no abrasive particles. The metal base can be processed using any other method.
• Pearls are the most unassuming of organic jewelry. Products with it can be cleaned with cornstarch paste. It is diluted by half with water and applied with a brush to the surface.

Cleaning recommendations are as follows:

• Hard minerals (sapphire, aquamarine, emerald) are recommended to be treated with warm soapy water. You can prepare it from any available means in the bathroom: powder, shampoo, liquid soap. Thoroughly clean the item with the resulting foam and a soft brush.
• Laundry soap has a less aggressive composition than powders and shower gels, so it can be used to prepare a solution that cleans minerals with a low structure density. These include moonstone, turquoise, carnelian, agate, and opal.
• Rubies, blue sapphire, garnet and topaz do not tolerate heat. Therefore, it is allowed to process them only with cold water.
• Glycerin treatment is permissible for all minerals. Apply it to a cotton pad and gently wipe the entire surface of the product. In the case of small sizes, you can use a cotton swab. Rinse the item with water and let dry.

Protect silver jewelry from high temperatures and heat in the sun or from heating appliances:

• When cleaning, remove silver jewelry from yourself so that they do not lose their presentable appearance.
• It is better to store them in a dry place protected from light on a soft cloth.
• During long-term storage, silver should not coexist with other metals.
• After use, wipe the jewelry with special tissues or soft cloth.

For effective cleaning, you can use some expert advice:

• Avoid sudden changes in temperature.
• Do not use sharp objects or hard-bristled brushes.
• Better to let the jewelry dry on its own.
• After cleaning, you can polish the metal with velvet or suede.

You can learn more about some other tools that will help clean silver in the video below.