Jewelry care; the ultimate guide to cleaning silver jewelry

How should one clean silver jewelry? Maybe you have experienced that your silver jewelry has become dark or black on the surface.

Your silver jewelry will oxidize over time because it is in contact with the air. It is a completely natural process. Don't worry - sterling silver can be easily cleaned  to look brand new again. We guide you through various methods that will revive the shine on your jewelry.

At Sisi Copenhagen, our jewelry is made of sterling silver, which means that it can be easily cleaned if it oxidizes. The surface treatment of your gold-plated jewelry eventually disappears during normal use. The more often you use the jewelry, the faster it will wear off. 

We give you the ultimate guide on how to best take care of your favorite jewelry so that it stays beautiful for a long time. That includes:

• 3 ways to clean your jewelry
• Reasons why your jewelry oxidizes faster than usual
• A guide to storing jewelry

3 ways to clean your jewelry

If your silver jewelry has oxidized, you can easily clean it again. If you use a polishing cloth, it will be easy and efficient to polish your jewelry. If you do not have a cleaning cloth in stock, we have collected three ways in which you can easily clean your silver jewelry.

1. Salt and aluminum foil

This method is familiar to many and works especially well if your silver jewelry needs a thorough cleaning.

Step 1: Place aluminum foil in a bowl and sprinkle with salt

Step 2: Pour boiling water over and then place the jewelry on the foil

Step 3: Wait approx. 10 minutes and then rinse your silver jewelry in cold water

Step 4: Wipe the silver jewelry with a cloth

2. The Ketchup method 

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The ketchup method is good for gold-plated jewelry, as it is very gentle on the surfaces. Therefore, we recommend this method, especially for gold-plated jewelry. Do not use the method on jewelry with pearls and stones.

Step 1: Put your jewelry in a bowl and rub it with the ketchup

Step 2: Wait approx. 10 minutes

Step 3: Rinse the jewelry with cold water and wipe it gently with a cloth

3. Dishwashing detergent and a soft brush

The method is quite simple, but requires a little patience and is particularly suitable for jewelry with engravings or ornaments where dirt can accumulate over time.

Step 1: Soak your silver jewelry in a bowl of lukewarm water and a little detergent

Step 2: Rub with a soft jewelry care brush (alternatively a soft toothbrush) to remove the dirt

Step 3: Rinse in lukewarm water and dry with a soft cloth

Causes of a faster oxidation process

What is definite, is that your silver jewelry will oxidize over time. Some people find that this process is incredibly fast. There can be many reasons why your jewelry oxidizes particularly quickly and therefore we have compiled the most common reasons for a rapid oxidation process here:

• You store your jewelry incorrectly
• You exercise with your jewelry
• You expose your jewelry to contact with liquid
• You are taking a strong medicine
• You sleep with your jewelry on
• You expose your jewelry to contact with creams, perfumes, cosmetics, etc.

You can therefore prevent the faster oxidation process by taking off your jewelry when you are sleeping, taking a bath/shower, or exercising, and avoid exposing them to contact with moisture, chemicals, cosmetics, and so on. Below you can see some tips on how to store your jewelry when you are not using them.

How to store your jewelry

5 good pieces of advice regarding jewelry storage:

• Keep your jewelry pieces separate from each other.
• Store your jewelry in airtight bags.
• Do not store your jewelry in direct sunlight, in the bathroom, or among your cosmetics.
• Do not store your jewelry on a wooden surface, as wood may contain acid.
• Put your jewelry on as the last thing you do when going out, to prevent exposure to elements that can accelerate the oxidation process.