Give New Life To Your Jewelry

Shine your Silver
Tarnish is not good for your jewelry. Here is how to get rid of it. For silver that is dull or starting to discolor mix a few drops of dish soap with warm water, dip in a cloth and rub the jewelry. Then rinse in cool water and buff with dry cloth. For heavier tarnish you will want to make a paste. To make the paste max three parts baking soda to one part water. You will need to wet the silver and apply the cleaner using a lint free cloth. Make sure to work the paste into the crevices and turning the cloth as it get gray. Rinse and buff dry. Never soak silver as this speeds up the tarnish process.

Brighten Gold and Gems
Have you looked under your ring? Everyday use of lotions, soaps and dirt can clog the prongs making the stones appear faceless and flat. Your gold chains and pendants can get gunked up through everyday use. You can give your gold a bubble bath by pouring a few drops of dish soap into a small bowl of club soda. Put the jewelry into a strainer and place into bowl to soak for five minutes. Remove each piece of jewelry and go over it with a soft toothbrush. Return your jewelry to the strainer and rinse under running water and dry with a soft cloth. For costume jewelry dab a cloth into the solution and gently wipe and smudges or grime then rinse damped cloth. This is especially for stones that are glued and not set.

Freshen Your Pearls
Because pearls are so porous they can easily lose their luster. Whether your pearls are real, cultured or faux, you must clean them with care. Lay the strand on a soft cloth. Take a small makeup brush and dip it into a mixture of warm water and little shampoo. Go over every pearl. When finish rinse the pearls clean with a well wrung damp cloth. Dry the pearls dry flat to prevent the string from stretching.