How to Clean Silver Turquoise Jewelry?
Turquoise has been associated with Native American Culture for thousands of years. The first use is for religious purposes than for trade purposes; it has formed a major way of providing them livelihood and keeping their craft alive. Unlike other tribes, the Native Americans used silver in combination with turquoise to create jewelry. While that is a unique fact in itself, another equally important fact is that obtaining them is precious in itself as no two pieces look the same. After going through so much pain to obtain authentic turquoise silver jewelry, maintaining them becomes extremely important. Here are some ways in which you can clean silver turquoise jewelry, especially a turquoise stretch bracelet.
How to clean silver turquoise jewelry
- A damp cloth
Turquoise is a porous gemstone. Using any soaps or chemicals for cleaning purposes can discolor the gemstone along with tarnishing the silver. The best of cleaning is to dampen a soft cloth and gently wipe the jewelry clean after squeezing the extra moisture out. This method helps clean surface dust and grime effectively from the gemstone as well as the silver surface. It is important to use a soft cleaning tissue cloth for this purpose. Harsh fabric can scratch the gemstone. It is also important to remove any jewelry with sharp edges before clean to avoid any risk of damaging the turquoise.
- A silver polishing agent
Silver jewelry tends to react with sulphur in the atmosphere and get tarnished. This makes it look dull and unattractive. There are a lot of ways of cleaning the silver. Albeit care should be maintained that the cleaning agents don’t contact the turquoise as they can damage the gemstone. Silver polishing agents are often the best way to clean silver cloth. Instead of dipping the jewelry in the solution, applying it on a soft cloth can effectively help regain the metal’s shine.
- Baking soda
This method needs to make a pea-size ball of baking soda paste and polish the jewelry softly with it using a piece of cotton fiber. While cleaning, you must make back and forth motions instead of circular motions over the jewelry. It is also important to be gentle with the gemstone and regularly change to different fiber sizes. This ensures optimum use of the fiber and prevents the grime or the tarnish from getting back on the silver again through the cloth.
- A soft-bristled toothbrush
The bristles of a toothbrush are also an effective way to remove dirt and grime from the jewelry and give it a new look. They clean the irregular areas and nooks and corners better than other methods. For this, it is important to use a soft-bristled toothbrush, preferably a children’s one, and rinse it under running water before application over the jewelry. Not only does the bristle effectively clean the dirt off the silver, it thoroughly cleans the turquoise as well without scratching its soft surface.
- Lemon and olive oil
Lemon and olive oil are great methods of cleaning sterling silver and turquoise jewelry pieces. Practiced effectively for generations, this method involves combining lemon and olive oil juice in a bowl and whisking it till they mix thoroughly. After this, a soft cloth is dipped in the solution and gently polished the jewelry’s surface. While lemon effectively cleans the silver and makes it shine, olive oil acts as a lubricant for the turquoise, fills up the fine scratches, and gives it a new look.
Maintaining silver turquoise jewelry
Effective cleaning can give your turquoise jewelry a new look and life, such as turquoise stretch bracelets, and make you shine in its presence. Maintaining it can increase its life in the long run. It does not cost much to maintain silver turquoise jewelry. Keeping it in its case after using it and using a soft cloth while cleaning it can prevent scratches from occurring on its surface. Being overall gentle with the handling, cleaning, and use of the jewelry can ensure its longer life with a clean surface requiring less cleaning and less risk of damaging it.
Conclusion
If you buy authentic Native American jewelry (such as a turquoise stretch bracelet or a turquoise heishi necklace), you must know the art of cleaning them well without hurting their delicacy. Moreover, you must buy the original ones from a reputed seller like New Mexico Gems to rest assured of their authenticity and charm in the long run.
