Many people prefer to get their hands on rings out of sterling silver for a variety of reasons. One of those is that these rings do not rust and thus can stay around for a lifetime. While they won’t end up rusty, it’s very much possible for them to wind up tarnished. Having a black coating can keep these fashion accessories from making you a complete standout.
The good news is that tarnish is just a superficial issue. So, in other words, it does not have any effect on the underlying metal. No matter how tarnished your sterling silver rings get, worry not because it is easy to bring them back to their former glory.
What’s more, it is fairly easy to keep tarnishing from taking place quicker than usual. It’s not possible to prevent tarnish from striking altogether. For as long as you wear your rings out of sterling silver, which causes them to come into contact with oxygen in the air and other substances, tarnishing will certainly take place. Luckily, it is very much possible to slow down this unwanted process, and taking a few simple steps is all that it takes.
Clean After Wearing
Your skin oils can make your rings out of sterling silver shinier. Unfortunately, skin oils can speed up tarnishing, too. It’s for this reason why it is a good idea to clean your rings immediately after wearing them and before placing them in your jewellery box or organizer.
The goal of regular cleaning is to remove skin oils and other substances, such as your everyday beauty products, on the surface of your rings. Thoroughly removing them calls for washing your rings in warm water with mild detergent. Afterwards, dry them thoroughly with a soft cloth. Never make the mistake of allowing your rings to air dry. It will cause water stains to form and cause tarnishing all over again but at a much faster rate this time.
Remove as Necessary
It can be enticing to wear your sterling silver ringsall the time because they make you look and feel your best. Unfortunately, failure to remove your fashion accessories as necessary is one of the reasons why they tend to tarnish quickly.
Make sure that you remove your rings before you take a bath or shower. The same should be done before jumping into the pool or swimming in the ocean. You should also part momentarily with your beautiful rings before partaking in a household chore, especially if it involves using common household cleaners with substances that can harm your jewellery.
Wear After Applying Cosmetics
Never wear your rings before you are through applying your favourite beauty products. Many of the ingredients in the things that make you look amazing and feel confident can wreak havoc on the appearance of fashion accessories out of sterling silver.
To minimize contact with those substances, apply lotion, makeup, perfume and others before putting on fashion accessories, such as rings. Similarly, you should remove sterling silver items before removing your clothes at the end of the day. It is done to keep them from banging or rubbing against metal components of your clothes, such as zippers and buttons.
Polish Often
One of the best ways to delay tarnishing is keeping your rings sparkling. This is when the importance of having a sterling silver polishing cloth comes in. Once in a while, you may also take your rings to your trusted jeweller to have them professionally cleaned.