Silver rings can be a beautiful, versatile piece of jewelry that can be paired up with any kind of outfit. Out of all the metals, silver is personally my favorite just because of how versatile it is. However, when it starts to lose its shine, it can look pretty dull and lifeless. Here are some easy tips on how to clean silver rings!
Why do you need to clean your silver rings?
As a metal, silver is inherently bright and shiny, making it look beautiful as a piece of ornamental jewelry. However, over time, especially if you wear them for a long period of time, silver rings will start to tarnish. Silver rings can also get dirty if they are exposed to dust, dirt, and pollution. To get back the life into a silver ring, you will need to learn a proper technique of cleaning it.
How to clean silver rings with baking soda and water
When cleaning your silver rings, one of the main things to keep in mind is the fact that silver is a very soft metal. Using any kind of harsh, abrasive cleaners or brushes will simply cause scratches on the surface, so homemade solutions work best when used with a soft, microfiber cloth. Here is how you can remove the tarnish from your silver rings with baking soda and water:
- Baking soda can work as a great cleaning and bleaching agent if used sparingly. Mix a small amount of baking soda with water and create a paste.
- Put a tiny, pea-sized amount of this paste on your silver ring.
- Using a soft-bristled toothbrush, use long strokes to clean the silver ring and get into any crevices and corners with the paste solution.
- Once you have done this, run the silver ring under warm water and dry it with a soft cloth.
- Avoid using the toothbrush in round or circular motions, as this, along with the baking soda, might cause scratches and abrasions on the surface of the silver ring.
How to clean silver rings with toothpaste
Many of us have heard this method of cleaning silver jewelry; who knew that it would actually work so well! The main thing to remember here is to avoid using a gel toothpaste or toothpaste which contains whitening agents. Here is how to use it:
- Take a non-gel, non-whitening toothpaste and squeeze out a small tab on to a toothbrush, or a lint-free cloth. Be sure to use a lint-free cloth only, otherwise, you might cause tiny scratches on the surface of the silver ring.
- Rub the silver ring with the toothbrush or the cloth in gentle, back and forth motions only. Do not rub it in circular motions!
- If needed, add some more toothpaste and continue till all the tarnish is off.
- Rinse the silver ring with warm water and dry it immediately with a soft, lint-free cloth.
How to clean rings with olive oil and lemon juice
This might sound like one of the hidden secrets, but olive oil and lemon juice can work wonders to remove tarnish from your silver ring. Here is how to use it:
- Take ½ a cup of lemon juice and mix 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a bowl.
- Add some cleaning solution, and dip your silver ring into this mixture.
- Let it sit for a few minutes before removing the ring.
- Softly buff away at the tarnish using a dry, microfiber cloth and watch your silver ring come back to life!
How to clean a silver ring with aluminum foil
When all other methods fail, the aluminum foil method is bound to work like magic to remove any trace of tarnish, dullness or lack of luster and bring your silver ring back to life. Here is how you can do it:
- Boil a liter of water, enough to fill a bowl, and add some salt and baking powder to the bowl.
- Before you add the water, baking soda and salt, line the inner surface of the bowl with aluminum foil.
- Now, add all the ingredients along with the hot water to the bowl. You can add a little bit of white vinegar to the mixture. The contents of the mixture will slightly fizz.
- Add the silver ring to the bowl and let it sit for a while.
- Use some kitchen tongs to turn over the ring so that both sides of the silver ring are exposed to the aluminum foil and the solution.
- Now, gently remove the silver ring with the tongs, making sure not to dip your fingers into the hot water mixture.
- Using a piece of soft, lint-free cloth, gently buff the ring.
- The tarnish and dullness will have disappeared and the original luster will be back to your silver ring!
How to clean your silver rings using ketchup
- Apply a small dab of ketchup on to a paper towel.
- Gently rub away at the tarnish on your silver ring, avoiding rubbing on it too harshly.
- If the tarnish remains, apply some more ketchup directly on the silver ring.
- Let this sit for about 15 minutes.
- Using the same method, rub away at the ketchup using a soft paper towel.
- Rinse the ring in warm water and dry it immediately.
How to prevent silver rings from tarnishing
There is no way to prevent tarnish on your silver rings. This is a natural process that will occur no matter what. The best thing you can do is just regular usage and cleaning. A ring which is kept away for a long time tends to get dull and lose its luster.
Rinse your silver ring in hot water and clean it with a soft, microfiber cloth. Don’t use water that contains a lot of chlorine as it will speed up the tarnishing. Avoid rubbing it in circular motions as this would cause small scratches to occur on your silver ring.
Avoid wearing rubber gloves when you are washing your silver rings as this causes tarnish to appear on them.
Store your silver ring separately from other jewelry pieces in a ziplock bag.
