One of the questions I get asked most often is: how can I clean my silver jewelry?

However, before answering this question, I think a preamble is more than necessary!

First of all, let's clarify why silver "gets dirty". More accurately, silver undergoes a chemical phenomenon known as oxidation. The oxidation process is a very common phenomenon, linked to particular chemical reactions that are triggered when silver comes into contact, for example, with oxygen or other substances.

And why does this happen? Because silver is an alloy, composed not only of silver but also of other metals, which make it more suitable for making jewelry and for its processing. Among these metals is copper, which is responsible for the "oxidation" process, i.e., the formation of a dark patina on your silver jewelry.

If we keep in mind the saying "prevention is always better than cure," in this case too, preventing the oxidation process is always better than finding yourself with oxidized jewelry to clean.

So, the first question to ask is: how can I prevent my silver jewelry from getting dirty (or undergoing the oxidation process)?

• Silver oxidation is caused by contact with air: limiting contact with air as much as possible will help slow down this process. For example, by storing our jewelry individually in an airtight plastic bag or a cotton bag or other NON-breathable material.

• Silver oxidation is caused by contact with acids: the oxidation of silver depends on the pH of our skin. People with more acidic sweat will accelerate the oxidation process. For this reason, in any case, and whatever your pH, it is always advisable not to wear silver jewelry during periods of increased sweating (such as the hot summer hours when temperatures exceed 36-40 degrees).

• Acidic substances accelerate the oxidation process: you should avoid bringing our jewelry into contact with creams, perfumes, shower gels, etc.

• Do you live by the sea? Then you should know that sea air is rich in humidity and mineral salts, which add to the normal oxidizing activity of oxygen in the air. For this reason, it is not advisable to wear PLATED jewelry by the sea (because the plating, being a superficial layer, is corroded and consumed by the sea air) and you should still be more careful when storing even unplated silver jewelry (use even more airtight cloths or bags).

Consequently, as you will deduce from what is written above, it is necessary to avoid wearing silver jewelry even in swimming pools and spas for plated jewelry, highly inadvisable for silver ones, which could lose their brilliance.

• Finally, try to clean your silver jewelry with a microfiber cloth before storing them: this way you will remove all those harmful residues present in the air and on the skin that could accelerate the oxidation process.

• Don't wait a month or more before taking out a piece of jewelry and wearing it again: always try to "check" your stored jewelry every now and then and rub them with a microfiber cloth, this way you will avoid nasty surprises when you decide to use them again!

HOW CAN SILVER JEWELRY BE CLEANED? 

Finally, after years of research and after almost giving up, I found a great ally for cleaning our silver jewelry: I called them MAGICAL silver cleaning cloths!

And you can find them for sale right here, on the online shop: MAGICAL silver cleaning cloths - 6-piece pack – Melania Gorini Jewellery

But let's proceed in order.

On the online shop you can find TWO TYPES of SILVER CLEANING CLOTHS.

1. The MAGICAL silver cleaning cloths, which are cloths that do not contain aggressive chemicals and are therefore safe even for the most delicate platings. They do not scratch surfaces and can be used with complete peace of mind to clean jewelry, in case of first signs of oxidation or more advanced oxidation. You can find them for sale here: MAGICAL silver cleaning cloths - 6-piece pack – Melania Gorini Jewellery
2. The MICROFIBRE MAINTENANCE cloths, these cloths are NOT suitable for cleaning oxidized jewelry as they do NOT remove signs of oxidation. Their function is different: to maintain the beauty of the jewelry and therefore prevent oxidation. You can use them to clean your jewelry after wearing it, for example on a hot day when sweat doesn't spare us, but also simply as a good habit to remove skin residues and pollutants that may have settled. You can find them for sale here: MICROFIBRE MAINTENANCE cloths for silver jewelry - Pack of – Melania Gorini Jewellery

If your jewelry has undergone a very significant oxidation phenomenon, it may be necessary to resort to a more "aggressive" cleaning.
Only if the cloths I mentioned above do not have the desired effect, then you can resort to the use of specific silver cleaning products available on the market, such as Argentil Spray or Cream. 

If you use the product in spray or cream form, after using it always remember to rinse and dry the jewelry thoroughly before storing it.

Avoid spraying the product directly on stones, pearls, corals or cameos! How to clean the components that are close to these materials?

Soak a cotton swab in the silver product and pass it over the stud or the ring of stones/pearls/corals/cameos, without coming into contact with them.

Always use specific products available on the market, such as Argentil or a silver cloth.

ATTENTION: these products are much more aggressive than cloths and therefore, despite solving the oxidation problem, on the other hand they can, with repeated use, damage the platings or, in the case of jewelry with an anti-tarnish coating (i.e. a treatment that reduces the speed of the oxidation process), affect this coating and thus paradoxically accelerate the future oxidation of the jewelry.

So use them only as a last resort and sparingly. 

And remember one last, very important, thing: jewelry should be the last thing we put on when we get ready and the first thing we take off when we come home!

If you take care of them, their beauty will last over time.

 I hope this mini guide on silver jewelry care has been useful to you!

If you have any questions, leave them below, in the comments to the article, and I will be happy to answer you.

Melania