Repairing tarnished jewelry is often a chore that gets overlooked, but to bring your jewelry back to its former glory isn’t hard, you just need the right tools.
Claude Abitan, from The Beadery in Toronto, says the best way to clean up your old jewelry is by using a cloth made specifically for gold and silver, and not bother with chemicals and cleaners.
“Each time when you where something take the cloth and wipe them down,” says Abitan. “Perfume can cause tarnish.”
The cloth can be found at jewelry and department stores for less than $10. There are various brand names to choose from, but make sure you buy one that is made from soft flannel and contains polishing ingredients and tarnish retardants built into the cloth.
Abitan says the best way to care for your jewelry is by preventing tarnishing with an easy solution – an anti-tarnish strip. It is a piece of paper that sits in your jewelry box for six months before it needs to be replaced.
“The air makes jewelry dull,” says Abitan.
The strip absorbs components from the air that cause tarnishing. The strips, made by 3M, called Tarnishield, can be bought at music and department stores for less than $3.
