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Many jewelry stores use a variety of methods to clean silver. It all depends on the type and amount of tarnish that needs to be removed, as well as the intended finish. Here are a few jewelry store techniques for cleaning silver:
• Polishing – This is often done by hand. Special polishing cloths are used, or an abrasive paste made of soap, water, and baking soda can be applied to help remove any surface dirt or oxidation.
• Tarnish Remover – Chemical solutions can be found that contain ingredients like baking soda and salt which can dissolve away light tarnish safely.
• Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaners – Jewelry stores often run items through an ultrasonic cleaner that agitates a detergent solution to remove dirt and debris from hard-to-clean areas without physical scrubbing or harsh chemicals.
• Steaming – Carefully applying hot steam to sterling silver jewelry can also help remove surface dirt and oxidization effectively.
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General Cleaning Tips:
Jewelry stores often clean silver pieces with a simple ‘dip-style’ solution, which can be prepared at home or purchased pre-made. This solution involves submerging the jewelry into a mild alkaline bath of about five parts water to one part baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). As the silver piece is submerged, dirt and grime are loosened, allowing them to be easily wiped away with a damp lint-free cloth. To prevent discolouration, this solution should not be used if the silver is jeweler’s grade silver or specially plated.
Cleaning Tools and Supplies:
A soft, lint-free cleaning cloth is best to use when cleaning silver jewelry instead of paper towels or tissues as these materials can leave tiny particles on your jewelry surface. A special polishing cloth formulated for cleaning silver jewelry may also be needed to remove deep set dirt or tarnish buildup. Jewellers may have small plastic tweezers available to aid in handling smaller items like earrings and pendants. For more stubborn stains jewelers might recommend using warm water with a few drops of mild dish detergent, rinsed in cold water and dried carefully with a soft cloth. Jewelry stores may also carry special solutions for removing heavy oxidation and tarnishing from silver pieces over time.
Polishing:
Removing scratches from most sterling silver jewelry can easily be done by buffing it with fine grade steel wool or rubbing it with an abrasive cleaner specifically designed for sterling silver jewelry. Generally, these products are available at jewellery stores. Polishes containing natural agents like peanut oil may also help bring back the shine on more oxidized pieces without damaging them too much. Jewelers typically only polish large flat surfaces because machine polishers are liable to cause damage to any intricate design features on a piece by brushing off details intended by the designer or jeweler who created it.
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Jewelry stores typically clean silver jewelry with chemical cleaning solutions or a soft-bristle brush. Ultrasonic cleaning machines and polishing cloths can also be used to quickly remove tarnish from silver.
Real-Life Examples:
1) Jeweller’s Guild uses a special silver jewelry cleaner that combines hot water, baking soda and dishwashing detergent to make an effective solution for removing tarnish and dirt from silver items.
2) Etsy team recommends immersing silver jewellery in white vinegar for 15 minutes for mild oxidation, then brushing gently with a toothbrush in order to remove any remaining grime. For heavier tarnish, they advise using an ammonia-based cleaner.
3) Refinery 29 suggests using’ 0000′ steel wool and dry polish cloths followed by a rinse in warm water and mild soap as the best way to clean silver necklace chains or earrings.
4) Wiki How provides tutorial illustrating how to make a paste of baking soda and lemon juice, then dip in the paste with a sponge and rub it onto any areas of silver jewelry that need special attention. Rinse thoroughly afterward!
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Jewelry stores typically use either chemical cleaning solutions, polishing cloths, special brushes and sponge pads or steam cleaners to clean silver.
Chemical Cleaners: Chemical cleaning solutions like tin or ammonium chloride or liquid jewelry cleaners are often used to dissolve tarnish and make silver items look bright and shiny again. The jewelry must be soaked for the prescribed amount of time in the solution before cleaning and then rinsed off with a damp cloth or sponge.
Polishing Cloths: Polishing cloths are often used together with liquid cleaners as well. They can remove dirt, residue and any other particles from the jewelry item. After cleaning, tarnish is polished away by rubbing with a very soft, lint-free cloth.
Special Brushes/Sponge Pads: Special brushes with wire bristles and polishing sponges are sometimes used to clean harder to reach areas on jewelry pieces that can’t be reached by a polishing cloth. Both natural or synthetic fibers may be used in these types of products.
Steam Cleaners: Steam cleaning can also be an effective way to remove deep layers of dirt from silver jewelry items without using harsh chemicals . It uses a combination of warm water vapor and pressure to get the job done quickly in most cases.
Offer advice on best practices
There are several useful steps you can take to care for and protect silver jewelry. First, store your silver jewelry in a cool, dry place, away from moisture. It is also important to immediately remove jewelry before swimming or showering as chlorine in pool water and sulfates in soap can damage silver over time. Any dirt or oils on your pieces should be cleaned off with a soft cloth, wiping gently in one direction instead of scrubbing. When needed, use a mild detergent mixed with very warm water to cleanse the silver jewelry and then rinse thoroughly and wipe dry with a soft cloth. Furthermore, keep your silver pieces away from harsh chemicals such as bleach when cleaning around the house. If it’s been a while since you last wore any of your silver jewelry pieces and they have begun to tarnish, you could opt to have them professionally cleaned by an experienced jeweler.
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