How to prevent your jewellery from tarnishing
Jewellery is a great addition to your wardrobe, but even the most precious pieces can lose their lustre over years due to tarnishing. Tarnish is the result of a chemical reaction between the metal in your jewellery and other elements like moisture and air – things you can’t avoid it coming into contact with. However, there are some things you can do to help prevent tarnish. Read on for our tips.
1. Proper storage:
Store your jewellery in airtight containers or jewellery boxes can help limit its exposure to air and moisture. You can even purchase special anti-tarnish strips that can be kept inside your jewellery box, to limit this even further.
2. Keep it dry:
Always remember to remove your jewellery before swimming, showering, or taking part in any activities that could expose it to water.
3. Separation:
Store different types of jewellery separately to prevent scratching and chemical reactions between different metals. Additionally, it’s always good practice to avoid overcrowding your jewellery box, to reduce friction and potential damage.
4. Remove before bed:
Take off your jewellery before going to bed (and ideally, showers and baths) to prevent it from coming into contact with sweat and skin oils – and, you guessed it, moisture – that can accelerate tarnish.
5. Clean regularly:
Gently clean your jewellery with a soft cloth as frequently as possible to remove oils, lotions, and sweat. You can use a mild, non-abrasive jewellery cleaner specifically designed for the type of metal you’re cleaning – or follow our cleaning guides, such as how to clean gold, silver and platinum.
6. Avoid harsh Chemicals:
Avoid exposing your jewellery to household chemicals, like bleach or ammonia, which can cause tarnish. Take it off before tackling a heavy-duty cleaning job, such as bleaching the bathroom.
7. Wear with Care:
Last on, first off. Put your jewellery on last after applying makeup, lotions, and perfumes to minimise chemical contact.
Looking for more advice?
Take a look at our tips and hacks for jewellery care, or check out our guides to cleaning silver, cleaning gold and cleaning platinum jewellery.
