Hey there,

So, you have bought some lovely shiny new silver plated jewellery and you want to keep it looking as pretty as possible. I can't be the only one who has had necklace chains turning green overnight! Lol.

Well,with these useful tips, you can prolong the life of your jewellery and keep them looking as good as new. :)

Silver plated jewellery is a much cheaper alternative to sterling silver but why does it tend to tarnish? This happens when the silver reacts with moisture and air which in turn makes the silver oxidise. As dust, oil and dirt accumulate onto the silver plating, the jewellery begins to look dull or appear darkened.

An easy way to help prevent this from happening is to always store your jewellery in a jewellery box or a drawer away from natural sunlight and always remove before taking a bath, shower or going swimming. Sounds simple, doesn't it? I have lost count of the number of times I have jumped into a big bubble bath to relax and then realised that I still have my necklace on! 

If you are forgetful like me then all is not lost as there are a few easy effective ways to get the shine back.

Firstly, if your item just needs a little TLC, you could try a jewellery polishing cloth and give it a gentle rub. Use a quality cloth that will remove dirt and tarnish and give the item its shine back. Be gentle when polishing the jewellery and wipe rather than scrub.

Secondly, if your item needs a little more work, try giving it a light clean with good old soap and water.

Use liquid soap and warm water in a bowl to create a foamy solution and place the jewellery in and leave for a few minutes. Then use a soft cloth to rub the items, making sure to rub over all surface areas. You could also use a soft bristled toothbrush to clean any hard to reach areas or if the item has lots of little details. Once you have done that, rinse in warm water.

Wipe the items with a lint free cloth and make sure they are completely dry before storing them away in your jewellery box.

Thirdly, you can always try the deep clean method if your jewellery is badly tarnished.

To do this, you need to line a bowl with aluminium foil, making sure the shiny side of the foil is facing upwards. Add 1tbsp of baking soda and 1tbsp of salt.

Add enough hot water to the bowl so that the powders dissolve and that there is enough to fully cover your jewellery.

Place your silver plated jewellery in the solution and leave for several minutes.

You will begin to notice black and yellow flakes float away from your jewellery. This is the sulfur which is what has caused the oxidation of the silver. The flakes will be attracted to the aluminium and float towards it. 

Once the tarnish has mostly come off, remove the jewellery from the bowl and rub with a lint free cloth then rinse in warm running water and dry thoroughly.

I hope these tips help and your jewellery stays looking as pretty as the day you bought it for many years to come :)

Love Emma x