Opening that gift box and discovering a beautiful piece of jewellery is such a thrill but after a while you notice the shine has dimmed and tarnish appears. What can you do to easily restore the sparkle and get it looking like new again?
My first tip is to use some kitchen magic. All you need is baking soda, kitchen foil and hot water.
Line a cup or bowl with foil and then add two generous tablespoons full of bicarbonate of soda. Put your jewellery on top and pour over water that's just off the boil. To get the foil touching as much of the jewellery as possible I fold it over and press down with a fork. Leave it for 20 mins to half an hour and when it has cooled you can open the foil parcel.
It may not immediately look clean but rub the bicarbonate around a bit with your fingers and then rinse and wipe with a soft cloth to reveal the shine. If the piece is very tarnished you may need to repeat.
If you are struggling to get a chain clean you can use a very soft brass brush and some washing up liquid. Tension the chain by wrapping around a chopping board or piece of wood while you scrub it. Just remember to get a really soft brass brush, not the sort of thing you clean the barbecue with!
If you would prefer a professional cleaning solution then for plain silver jewellery I recommend Goddard's Silver Dip and for jewellery with gemstones and gold / platinum Connoiseurs Dazzle Drops is a good choice. The advantage of the Dazzle Drops is that you make a fresh cleaning solution each time and it's safe even on pearls.
What ever method you choose, when it comes to cleaning the more regularly you do it the quicker and better the results will be.
My final advice is to keep your jewellery in little ziplock bags to protect it from the sulphur in the atmosphere. The tarnish on your jewellery forms when it's exposed to sulphur dioxide in the air which is usually in higher concentration in cities.
Let me know if you find this advice helpful or if you have any other suggestions that you would like to share!
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