5 ways to keep your silver tarnish-free

Tarnish is basically a kind of rust (but occurring at a slower pace). It often appears as a usually dull, gray or black film or coat over metal.What causes tarnish? The simple answer is 'exposure to air'. That's why it's impossible to prevent your silver jewelry from tarnishing.
Anyway, there are ways, simple ways, to slowdown the tarnishing process and help keep your silver in a lasting good condition. Minor tarnish can be easily buffed off with silver cloth. Heavy tarnish has to be scrubbed off and may also remove some silver substance from your jewelry. That's why proper maintenance is so important!

1.STORAGE: An example of air-tight jewelry box Remember these ideal storage conditions: Clean, Cool, Dry, and Dark. Keep it in air-tight container. May and I keep our everyday jewelry in ziploc bag as it gives perfect protection and visibility. Store your silver jewelry separately to avoid scratches.

2.BEFORE USE: Apply your hair spray before wearing silver and make sure your lotion or perfume is well absorbed to your skin or clothes. Your hands must be free from lotion or other chemicals before touching silver jewelry.

3.DURING USE: Avoid exposing your jewelry with chemicals and grease e.g. perfume, hair spray, food etc. Just keep it as clean and dry as you can.

4.AFTER USE: Simply wipe off any possible residues on your silver jewelry with soft cloth before storage. If you see sign of tarnishing, simply wipe it off gently with a silver cloth like this one. We have tested effectiveness of this cloth. click here to find info However, please note that if your silver piece is plated, you don't need to use this jewelry cloth that often (as your piece won't tarnish easily anyway). Excessive use of the cloth can also wipe off your coating layer.

5.PLATE IT!: 18K Gold Plating, a long-lasting way to prevent tarnishing I personally enjoy this option because it's almost a permanent method to protect silver from tarnishing (the plating layer can wear off too, but it takes quite a long time). As mentioned in my earlier post of what is sterling silver, gold plating works nicely in protecting your silver from tarnishing and also scratches! Anyway, some people don't like it because gold plating doesn't provide the same silver's natural shine. Many jewelry stores offer gold plating service at affordable price. At 360Jewels, we use high quality & thick layer 18K gold plating in Yellow Gold, White Gold, Rose Gold, and Black Gold. Follow this link to read more about 18K black gold plated jewelry.

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