Is your Tous jewellery turning dark? Learn the 5 steps to get your Tous jewellery looking like new again.
Whatever jewellery it is, we always want it to look as good as the first day. With a special shine, perfectly smooth, combined with our best outfits or as a discreet ornamentation that favours our look diary. In the case of Tousalways brings joy and a casual and flirtatious touch to our styles.
Unfortunately, one of the most common effects of jewellery made with precious stones, such as the silver that Tous usesThe reason is that their contact with certain external agents, and even with ourselves, makes them look tarnished, blackened or stained. This makes us mistakenly think that our favourite jewellery has been damaged, but nothing could be further from the truth.
In the case of silver, it is easily explained with a brief chemistry lesson. So stick around and we'll tell you why Tous silver turns black and how to properly clean your Tous silver jewellery.
Is it true that silver oxidises?
No, and it can be explained by the chemical reaction it has with certain compounds.
It turns out that in order for the silver to acquire that characteristic black colour, giving the impression that it is oxidised, the real culprit is sulphur.. Note that silver is a noble material that does not react to oxygen, so oxidation is not the excuse this time.
Thus, due to the contact with the sulphur, a layer will gradually form on the surface of the jewel. This layer, which is nothing more than the combination of sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxidereacts with silver to form a new element: silver sulphide, an unstable compound that gradually darkens. It forms a simple coating which, although does not damage the silver by weakening or breaking itThe appearance and sheen of the paintwork is greatly impaired.
4 tips for cleaning Tous silver
To properly clean Tous silver, you can opt for these 5 tricks:
Bicarbonate and water
Bicarbonate is a great all-purpose ally, and for jewellery it is no exception.
If you use it to clean that sulphur layer, it is best to combine it with one tablespoon of baking soda with 1/4 of white vinegar (not the cleaning one!) and leave it on for a few minutes with the jewellery submerged.
Afterwards, always with a dry cloth and without touching the jewel yourself, dry it and it will be shiny again.
An extra factIf you don't have baking soda at the moment, you can also use table salt.
Toothpaste
Another underrated multi-purpose item is toothpaste.
Toothpaste has a high polishing power, something that also reacts effectively against silver sulphide. Just take some of the paste and rub it through the silver object using a cloth. Afterwards, wash and dry it gently.
As a curiosity, Toothpaste is also very effective against acne.. If you have oily skin and you've just had an outbreak, applying toothpaste to the pimple will help reduce inflammation and pain.
Squeezed lemon juice
Lemon is a powerful cleaner that can also be very economical. Thanks to its acidity, it is able to remove even the toughest layers of rust or sulphur. It is also non-abrasive, so even if it is effective against the blackened layer, does not damage the jewellery itself and gives it a very interesting shiny effect.
To use it properly you only need lemon juice and a small spoonful of salt. Pour the salt directly on top of the cut lemon and rub the ring on it. Leave it on for a few minutes and then, with a clean cloth, wipe it dry.
Aluminium foil and baking soda
This is probably one of the most curious tricks you can find to clean silver.
It turns out that aluminium is also effective against silver sulphide because of the "Daniell stack effect".. Aluminium is a transition metal that oxidises easily, and when it is immersed in a solution of salt and water, a chemical reaction takes place that generates aluminium ions and hydrogen ions. These hydrogen ions bind to the silver sulphide, breaking down the blackened layer and facilitating subsequent cleaning.
But beware! Do not use the aluminium foil to rub the jewellery at any time.can scratch it.
Instead, simply place the aluminium foil at the bottom of a pan. Pour boiling water and two tablespoons of baking soda after it. Then let the silver jewellery soak for a while, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Afterwards, rinse the jewellery with lukewarm water and dry it gently.
Did you like these tips for cleaning Tous silver jewellery? Remember that at Sam Parfums we work with brands of jewellery the likes of Pandora or Tous so you can wear them with pride wherever you go.
Visit us now at our Sam Parfums websiteWe are waiting for you!