Sterling silver is beautiful, but did you know it can tarnish? Since it’s an alloy of silver and usually copper, it can react and rust.
If you take pride in your personal style, then you understand the need to accessorize with all types of jewelry, sterling silver included.
However, once you’ve invested in a great selection of jewelry, it’s important to keep it clean, which can be challenging. Fortunately, this article can help.
Here we take a look at how to clean rusty jewelry so it will remain as beautiful as the day you bought it. Keep reading to learn more.
What Makes Jewelry Rust?
Let’s start by talking about the reasons why jewelry tends to rust in the first place. If you’ve ever owned silver or gold jewelry, you’ve probably noticed that it tarnishes over time. This is pretty normal, especially when you own pieces for many years.
It’s important to understand that gold actually doesn’t rust because that specific type of metal does not react with oxygen. But you should keep in mind that when the gold plating chips off, the metal underneath is very susceptible to rust. Thus you’ll need to know how to maintain your jewelry.
Using Baking Soda and salt
One of the best rusty jewelry cleaning tips is to use common household products found in every kitchen: baking soda and salt.
The key is to cover the inside of a cereal bowl with foil, keeping the shiny side of the foil facing up. Pour warm water into the bowl, stirring in a tablespoon of baking soda along with a tablespoon of salt.
Place your jewelry in the solution and allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, making sure the jewelry is touching the foil. Now rinse each piece of jewelry using cold water.
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Using Vinegar
Vinegar is another common household product that’s effective for cleaning rust jewelry.
Start by pouring a cup of vinegar into a bowl, then place your gold jewelry inside. Allow the items to soak for several minutes before rinsing with cold water.
If this process doesn’t remove all rust the first time, go ahead and repeat as needed until you’re satisfied with the results.
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Using Dish Soap
You can also use dish soap to clean rusty jewelry. The key is to add a cup of warm water to a bowl along with a few drops of soap. Place your jewelry inside, and swirl them around so they get nice and soapy, then rinse thoroughly with cold water.
Be sure to dry them off with a soft cloth.
Tips On How to Clean Rusty Jewelry
It’s no secret that quality jewels can be expensive. That’s why it’s so important to take proper care of your collection. Fortunately, this guide to tips on how to clean rusty jewelry will help everything last for many years.
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