Omani Tips on how to care for your jewelry.
It’s always best to take good care of your jewelry, but despite our best efforts, sometimes our jewelry loses its luster and needs a good cleaning to bring it back to life.
Start by polishing jewelry with the interior layer of cloth.
It is specially treated to polish your jewelry and enhance shine. Avoid over-polishing as it can remove details and potentially cause your jewelry to lose designed oxidation and patina on bronze.
Then use the outside layer of cloth to wipe/buff the jewelry.
Buff your jewelry using the outside layer to remove any remaining dirt or tarnish and give your jewelry a clean, shiny finish.
For best results: Store in a sealed plastic bag and follow directions above. Do not wash. Keep this cloth away from flames.
Regular Cleaning
Sterling silver is a soft metal, so it can be easily scratched. When handling and cleaning your jewelry, you’ll need to take special care not to use anything too rough that will leave scratch marks.
Use a jewelry cleaning cloth or a cloth made of 100 percent cotton to gently remove residual make up and dirt. A clean brush no stiffer than a soft baby’s toothbrush can also be used, especially in conjunction with a few drops of mild dish liquid in ½ cup of warm water.
Another quick and easy way to clean your sterling silver jewelry is to submerge it in boiling water with baking soda and aluminum foil. Use a container in which your jewelry fits with enough room to be stirred. Start with a tablespoon of baking soda and a few half inch squares of foil. Add the boiling water and stir with a plastic or wooden utensil. If you notice a smell similar to rotten eggs, then it’s working. Make sure that the foil touches all parts of your jewelry so that the tarnish will adhere to it and not your jewelry. Once your jewelry is shiny again, rinse it with clean, cool water.
You can use commercial jewelry cleaners or wipes to remove tarnish from your sterling silver or silver plated jewelry. But there is an easier way! And it uses common materials to reverse the chemical reaction that made your silver tarnish in the first place.
Do It Yourself
- Line the bottom of a dish or bowl with aluminum foil.
- Bring water to a roaring boil (it should be enough to fill that bowl or dish).
- Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda per cup of water. Expect that the solution may bubble and froth a bit.
- Place the piece of silver jewelry in the dish, making sure it's touching the aluminum foil. This is essential for the chemical reaction to occur.
- Pour the solution of baking soda and boiling water into dish.
- Let sit for two to 10 minutes, depending on the level of tarnish.
- Allow it to dry ... and be amazed!
If you're in shock and wondering how it works, here's the deal: It's actually reversing the chemical reaction that made your silver tarnish in the first place.