Fresh Lime
The best trick for a quick shine on your way out the door is to use fresh lime on your silver. Cut a slice of lime,
squeeze it over your Argentium Silver and rub it in really well. Then, rinse it off in the sink and gently dry it. Your
silver will shine, and your hands will smell nice too.
Toothbrush and Toothpaste
Use a soft toothbrush and gentle toothpaste (not the whitening or abrasive kind) and gently scrub around all the little crevices of your jewellery. Rinse really well, dry it off, and enjoy the fresh shine. An alternative to toothpaste is gentle dish soap; we’ve found the Dawn brand works best.
Chemical Dip
When the tarnish doesn’t come off any other way, you know it’s time for a chemical dip. This shouldn’t be done
too often, the acid in these chemical cleaners is quite harsh. Angela, our founder and maker, has tried every
chemical cleaner under the sun, and the conclusion is that the Hagerty Instant Silver Dip is the best. The Empire’s Instant Tarnish Remover is a close second. For a nice cleaning cloth, the Sunshine polishing cloth works great.
Check the label of whichever chemical cleaner you’re using about whether or not the solution should touch your
gemstones. It’s possible to clean around your gem with a Q-tip, but it’s best to avoid touching it since the
chemicals can cause the stone’s surface to look dull.
If there’s an antique finish on your silver jewellery, do not clean with chemicals. The antique look will only come
off in some spots, and the rest will turn an unattractive yellow. The good news is there’s no need to clean your
antique silver since the tarnished look is intentional. All that’s needed is to rub it with a soft cloth, to get the dirt
and fingerprints off.
Caring for your gemstones
Every gemstone requires a different kind of care so it’s best to search for cleaning techniques specific to your
gem. For any cleaning products, check the manufacturers label before beginning to clean up your gems.
If these methods do not suit you…
For more options on how to clean your jewellery, feel free to google ‘how to clean silver’ and see what comes up.
Everything in the A & R Jewellery collection is made with Argentium Silver which can be cleaned just the same as sterling silver.