CARING FOR YOUR JEWELLERY

All precious metals used by Little Fingers 'n' Toes are purchased from a leading U.K. bullion supplier, and is of the highest quality. However, both silver and gold jewellery needs a bit of care to keep it looking its best, and it is a fact that sterling silver in particular is susceptible to tarnish.

How quickly tarnish appears will vary from person to person. Some people can wear silver for months without significant dulling, others only a matter of days. The speed of the tarnish reaction depends on the levels of moisture and sulphides the piece is exposed to, and your own body chemistry.

However, it is easy to keep your jewellery looking bright and shiny - you simply need to clean it regularly, so your jewellery is no different to your clothes or your car in this respect. The best approach is to wipe an anti-tarnish silver polish cloth over your jewellery after each wear. This will stop tarnish getting a grip. The following steps will help keep tarnish at bay and your jewellery beautifully shiny. 

CLEAN YOUR JEWELLERY

We recommend gently wiping your jewellery with an Anti-Tarnish Polish Cloth after wearing. If you wish you can purchase polishing cloths directly from us below, or if you wish to purchase elsewhere, then a brand we recommend is Town Talk. Purchase Town Talk anti-tarnish Kit.

KEEP IT DRY

Moisture is a crucial part of the chemical reaction that causes tarnish. Remove your jewellery before bathing, exercise or sleep. Never wear your jewellery whilst swimming - chlorine will likely turn your silver black.

LOTIONS & POTIONS

Avoid spraying jewellery with perfume, hairspray, fake tan and other lotions and potions. Aside from moisture in these products, the chemicals in these can also react with precious metal, causing tarnish. 

STORE CAREFULLY

Do not store with base metal jewellery or coins as this will cause tarnish. (A base metal is a common and inexpensive metal, as opposed to a precious metal such as gold or silver.)

WEAR WITH CARE

Precious metal jewellery needs treating with care to keep it looking it best. If you choose to wear items daily and whilst exercising then it will naturally show signs of wear faster than if worn occasionally. Some designs are more susceptible to wear than others, for example, stacked pendants, or cluster necklaces where charms will inevitably rub against each other, as well as rings and bangles which are vulnerable to knocks. If you have your heart set on these designs then you also need to embrace the worn surface that will inevitably develop as part of the charm! 

REMOVING TARNISH

If your jewellery becomes heavily tarnished and dull, there are some simple steps you can take to restore its shine.

  • Clean the piece in warm soapy water. Use a cocktail stick or a soft baby toothbrush to gently clean within the print or engraving. Dry the piece with kitchen towel or tissue.
  • Use a Heavy Tarnish Polish Pad to give the piece a good rub. Don’t be shy - give it some elbow grease. This should remove heavy tarnish like magic.
  • Finish by wiping gently with an Anti-Tarnish Polishing Cloth, to add lustre and to help prevent against tarnish reoccuring. Prevention is better than cure - clean your jewellery after each wear with the ‘Anti-Tarnish Polishing Cloth’ to stop tarnish getting a grip.
  • To return the sparkle to silver & gold chain use a jewellery dip. ‘Town Talk Sparkle Dips’ are available to purchase online. You can also clean charms etc. using the dip, but its best to avoid if your item has a dark patina in the engraving, as the dip will remove this. 
  • If you are struggling to re-gain your jewellery’s sparkle then we can professionally clean and re-polish your jewellery for a small charge, please contact us to find out more.