How to Clean a Sterling Silver Jewelry Set With Turquoise
AMY DAVIDSON
LIFE
The rich blues and greens of turquoise pair well with sterling silver, and the two have been used together in jewelry for thousands of years. When it comes to cleaning, turquoise can be easily damaged. Even though sterling silver is a durable metal, it is subject to scratching. When the two are combined in one piece, it must be cleaned carefully so you don’t damage or ruin your beautiful jewelry.
Fill a small bowl with warm water. Do not add any cleaner or soap to the water. Dip your jewelry and a brush into the water. Lightly brush between any silver links, around the setting and over the stones to remove dirt.
Redip the brush and continue working over the piece of jewelry until all dirt and grime are removed. Rinse the jewelry for 10 seconds under tepid water.
Clean any hard-to-remove tarnish from the silver by dipping a moistened cotton swab into silver polish and rubbing the tarnished area with it, being careful not to use the silver cream on the turquoise. Rinse the piece under tepid water to remove the silver cream.
Wipe down the piece thoroughly with a soft, lint-free cloth. Dry between any crevices and wipe the turquoise and sterling silver in circular motions to leave a smudge-free shine.
- If you do not have a jewelry cleaning brush, a baby or children’s toothbrush can be used. These brushes have similar soft, bendable bristles.
- Clean turquoise weekly if you wear it daily or multiple times a week. Otherwise, clean it every couple of months. Store pieces separately in velvet-lined jewelry pouches or boxes with a tarnish-fighting sheet to prevent the silver from tarnishing.
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