General care

Where possible remove jewellery when showering, swimming,  exercising or sleeping.  Avoid contact with chemicals such as perfume, chlorine, hairspray and humidity . 

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Avoiding tarnish

Silver, brass and copper will naturally tarnish when exposed to air, though in some cases this aging can be beautiful and desirable.  Store in an airtight, dry box to reduce tarnishing.  Pop unwanted silica sachets inside to reduce moisture.    Anti-tarnish products such as  Town Talk Anti-Tarnish Silver Storage Strips or Beadsmith ShineRite anti-tarnish bags can also help slow tarnishing.

 

Cleaning / removing tarnish

Everyday grease can be gently removed with warm water, washing-up liquid or hand-soap and an old toothbrush.  It is probably worth degreasing before using tarnish-removal methods below.  Always be conservative when cleaning and never use anything abrasive.  Never use harsh chemicals on stones or pearls.   Dry well afterwards with a soft microfibre type cloth.

 

Silver:  Clean with products such as Town Talk Silver Sparkle or Goddard's silver-cleaning cloth.   A home cleaner made from 3 parts bicarbonate of sode: 1 part water , applied with a cloth or toothbrush, can also be effective. 

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Silver Chains:  Line a bowl with aluminium foil shiny side up. Add 500ml boiling water and 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda (or 250ml/0.5). Soak chain for up to 30 minutes and rinse/ buff when clean.  Can be repeated for heavy tarnish.

 

Brass/ Copper :  Use Town Talk Brass and Copper polish.    Alternatively there are plenty of home ingredients including vinegar, ketchup , lemon juice - just Google! 

 

Breakages

My items are robust and joints soldered wherever possible, but all  jewellery should be handled with care.  If a handmade  piece develops a fault in the first year I am happy to repair it.

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