|
Clean sterling jewelry with a good quality paste cleaner and a wet sponge, rinse in tap water and dry with a soft, lint-free cloth. I recommend 3M Tarni-Shield to provide significant additional protection against discoloration and to lengthen the time between polishing.
Keep your jewelry in a box or case with compartments so that none of the chains, bracelets, earrings and other items become entangled with one another. For best results, sterling should be stored in an anti-tarnish cloth pouch or an air-tight plastic pouch with an anti-tarnish strip. Do not store sterling in cardboard boxes.
Do not wear sterling jewelry during strenuous sporting activity. Salt, perspiration, chlorine, hot tub chemicals and seawater harm sterling. I find sterling needs a thorough cleaning and polishing after an energetic evening on the dance floor.
Many museums display silver jewelry created thousands of years ago. With proper care, sterling jewelry can be an heirloom passed from generation to generation.
Additional information is available at www.silversmithing.com under "Care of Silver."
|
