Spoiler: don’t just act recklessly.
Nothing is more annoying than when your jewelry collection slowly starts to lose its shine. Detergent, soap and the like can make your favorite bracelets, earrings or rings look faded or even damage your shine. Shame! This way you can make your gold and silver jewelry shine like never before.
Method 1: Use boiling water for hard metals
Gold and silver are both hard materials, meaning you can clean them with boiling water. That is also an easy and cheap method! Place the jewelry you want to clean in a bowl with a flat bottom. Pour enough boiling water into the bowl to completely submerge the jewelry. Let them soak until the water cools to room temperature. Then use a clean cloth or soft brush to wipe the jewelry clean.
Tip: Only use this method for jewelry that is completely made of gold or silver. This trick does not work for variants that are plated. Also make sure that you do not scrub too hard with the clean cloth or soft brush, as this could still cause damage.
Method 2: Use toothpaste for mild stains
Toothpaste contains a mild abrasive and is therefore ideal for cleaning gold and silver jewelry. Using a soft toothbrush, apply some toothpaste to your jewelry. Then scrub gently with the toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and polish the silver or gold briefly until it shines beautifully.
Tip: do not use this method too often. The abrasive element in the toothpaste can actually reduce the shine of your jewelry.
Method 3: Soak silver in a vinegar solution
Vinegar can be used for many different things around the home, including cleaning silver jewelry. Place them in a clean bowl and pour some white vinegar over them until they are completely covered. Let it soak for fifteen minutes, remove the jewelry from the bowl and rub it with a soft brush to rinse away any remaining dirt. Wash them with water and dry them with a clean cloth.
Tip: do not use vinegar on jewelry that is plated or contains soft stones. The acidic element in the vinegar can cause damage to them.
Source: Glamial archive, Marie Claire | Image: NL Image
