Sterling silver jewelry is extremely popular nowadays. That’s probably because it looks amazing and it’s pretty low maintenance. Now, low maintenance doesn’t mean that there should be no maintenance at all! If you want to keep your sterling silver rings looking beautiful for a long time, you’ll have to learn proper care first.
In this article, we will give you the best tips to care for your sterling rings to keep them in their optimal condition! So, if you’re interested in that, keep on reading!
1. Know when to take them off
Many of us simply forget to take our rings off when we’re taking a shower. Well, if you worry about water being damaging to your sterling jewelry, it’s actually not the case at all. Water doesn’t have any negative impact on the silver by itself, but you should still be careful. Chemicals in your shower gel and shampoo are not as forgiving as water, and they can be quite damaging to your jewelry. Also, if you’re applying body lotion or perfume, make sure your rings don’t come in contact with these chemicals.
Other than that, if you’re thinking about taking a swim in the pool, then removing your ring is essential to its perseverance. Pool and hot tub water contain a lot of chlorine which doesn’t mix well with silver.
2. Storing them properly
The most common mistake people make when storing their jewelry is just putting it all together in one place. Avoid this at all costs! Your sterling silver rings shouldn’t be placed in the same bag with all of your other jewelry. You should cover them properly to protect them from dust and sunlight. A great way to do this is to buy specialized bags at your favorite jewelry shop.
Whatever you do, make sure to store your rings in a place where they’ll be protected from any potential damage. Put them somewhere where you’ll find them since it’s a small piece of jewelry that easily gets lost!
3. Polishing
If you notice small amounts of tarnish on your rings, it may be time to do some polishing! There are special silver cloths that you can use for polishing your rings, but if you can’t get a hold of these, it’s completely okay to use a regular microfiber cloth. It’s important not to use cloths made from harsh materials as these could end up leaving scratches on your new sterling silver rings.
Do it gently, and try to avoid circle motions as they can be damaging to silver. All in all, your silver will need some polishing from time to time, and there are tons of useful tutorials online to help you do it properly!
4. Cleaning
Properly cleaning your silver jewelry is of the utmost importance. Also, it’s super-easy to do! For the best results, you should invest in a commercial silver cleaner. Make sure to follow the instruction carefully and so you don’t end up damaging the silver. NEVER use bleach and similar products to clean your silver rings!
A good DIY way to clean your silver is a simple gentle soap and water solution and a non-abrasive cloth. Make sure to be gentle and do not clean purposefully oxidated parts of the ring. Use back and forth strokes for the best results.
Whatever you do, do not skip on cleaning your rings from time to time if you want to ensure their longevity and durability!
5. The type of silver does matter!
While 950 silver is the „purer“ type, if you’re looking for low maintenance then 925 is the way to go. 950 will tarnish at a much faster rate, and it requires a lot of care to keep in a good condition.
This is why our advice is to buy the .925 silver rings like the ones at this website. Both 950 and 925 look amazing, so the only difference is in the aftercare procedures. The 925 is much easier to manage and it’s way sturdier.
All in all, knowing the differences between types of sterling silver is extremely important for implementing proper care.
6. Simply wear the rings!
Did you know that the chemicals from your skin are actually great for silver? So yes, wearing them might be a small form of maintenance too! Other than that, wearing your jewelry as often as possible will remind you to take care of it more! It also eradicates the need to keep your rings in storage, where it can get damaged easily. Of course, when you’re wearing your rings there is a higher chance of them getting scratched. Still, it’s much better than just keeping them on your nightstand where it’s exposed to dust and sunlight.
All in all, always make it the last thing to put on after leaving your home, so you avoid having your silver in contact with harmful chemicals included in perfume, lotions, and other cosmetic products.
7. What to do if it gets too tarnished
If your jewelry looks like it’s too damaged for some home polishing, do not throw it away! Consult a professional service to help you bring your jewelry to its original state. Sometimes the rings hold sentimental value, so you just decide to keep them in a drawer when they get too tarnished. This doesn’t have to be the case since most jewelry shops will offer a professional cleaning service! Of course, prevention is better than cure, so if you follow the steps above, you won’t ever need to rely on these options.
All in all, tarnish can be extremely annoying to deal with, so make sure to try to prevent it at all costs. It’s much cheaper and much easier to do so than to go fixing it up.
The takeaway
Keeping your sterling silver rings pretty doesn’t take too much effort. Make sure to clean it and polish it as instructed in this guide, and learn when to put them on and when to remove them.
Whatever you do, always buy your jewelry from a reliable supplier and make sure to ask them about after-purchase care too. For best results, buy protective bags and store your rings away from moisture and dust.
