How to Protect Your Silver From Scuff
If you are a silver lover like me there are a few basic tips you should know in order to protect your valuable pieces such as silver rings or bracelets from wear and tear. Silver is fragile metal, which can quickly develop tarnish, stains or scratches and therefore silver needs a bit more TLC than some other metals. Here’s how to protect your silver from scuff:
- When cleaning your silver, always use the softest cleaning utensils such as soft-bristled toothbrush or soft cotton cloth.
- Silver and chemicals interact. If you want to keep your silver shiny, remove your silver jewelry before any task that involves chemicals. This includes among other things washing dishes or clothes, swimming, gardening, coloring your hair and car maintenance.
- Always remember that jewelry goes on last and comes off first. For example, hairspray or perfume may react with your silver jewelry, so it is always good to put on jewelry after you have applied makeup, perfume and hairspray. By contrast, remember to remove your jewelry before removing your makeup.
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Sanna 24. February 2009 | How to? | Comment
How to Clean Your Silver With Household Basics
Silver is a beautiful but unfortunately quite fragile metal, which can quickly develop tarnish, stains or scratches if not stored properly. Luckily you don’t need to use any harsh, toxic chemicals to get your silver all nice and shiny. There are ways to clean your silver with household basics. A few warnings though. For any valuable or truly special piece, it is always safest to have them professionally cleaned. If you decide to go for household ingredients instead of products with synthetic chemicals, remember to avoid abrasive cleaners, which might scratch your silver. And last, be sure the dark smear is actually tarnish and not the base metal beginning to show through.
- Toothpaste
For small silver items such as rings or earrings, the best silver polish is white tooth paste. Rub gently into the tarnish and then rinse the paste with warm water. Repeat the steps if necessary. Finally, polish dry with a soft cloth.
- Baking soda
For bigger pieces, use baking soda and a clean, damp sponge. Mix some baking soda and water to make a paste. Rub the paste very gently into the silver with the sponge. Rinse the paste carefully with warm water and polish dry with a soft, clean cloth. For badly tarnished silver, leave the baking soda paste on the silver for an hour or so, before cleaning off with the help of the sponge and warm water.
- Aluminum foil
Wrap aluminum foil over your tarnished silver. Make sure that the silver touches the aluminum. Heat some water in a kettle. Add a small amount of salt and some baking soda to the hot water but make sure that the solution won’t bubble over. Take the kettle of the stove and place the aluminum pack into the solution. Remove after a few minutes. Repeat the steps if necessary.
Sanna 21. February 2009 | How to? | Comment
How to Freshen Up Your Look
You know these days when you feel you have nothing to wear although your wardrobe is full to the brim? No worries, I have good news for you. You don’t have to reconstruct your entire wardrobe in order to freshen up your look. You just need to think creative, and keep your eyes and mind open next time you bargain hunt at second hand stores and flea markets.
It is frighteningly easy to get stuck on a certain style. For example, over 90% of my wardrobe is black. I often find myself musing with the idea of adding a touch of colour to my look, but I always come home with another black item. Go figure!
Lately I have been very inspired by this wonderful post of the lovely ladies of Painfully Hip, and that made me think about my own shopping behaviour. Yes, I’m impatient and too eager to get out from the crowded store, so apparently I don’t take enough time trawling trough those racks. Here’s what I have learned so far.
Wonderful snips are often found after a thorough rummage. Step away from a safe side for awhile and think what looks good on you, what works for your body, what could fit with with your favourite garments and what makes you feel happy. Think about your make up and hairstyle. Would that hideous psychedelic tunic from the 60’s or that daring 80’s jump suit work for YOU? Would YOU and YOUR PRESENCE give new life to these garments? You never know unless you try it on, right? You might be surprised what kind of garments you can actually pull off. Another trick is to learn to see the garment out of the context. Are you sewing savvy? Think about different ways how to alter garments you see at flea markets. Turn that outdated muumuu into a trendy scooter dress or a fabulous two-piece. Saw a good piece of fabric you adore? A few snips here, a couple of stitches there, a hint of patience and you have yourself a gorgeous tote.
To sum up: Next time you do some vintage hunting, don’t just trawl through the racks but spend some time and weigh your options. Who knows, you might end up finding your new favourite piece.
Sanna 23. April 2008 | How to? | Comment
How to Figure Out the Condition of Vintage Clothing
Because vintage clothing are by definition used second hand clothes, it is important to properly understand the condition of a desired garment. This is particularly important when shopping online. It is recommended that all vintage sellers would rely on a naming system that will help potential customers assess what they can expect when they buy vintage clothing and accessories online.
Here is a listing of terms from most reputable vintage sellers:
Mint
As goog as new. An item is as perfect and pristine as when it was originally made and shows no sign of wear.
Near mint
An item shows only the slightest signs of wear.
Excellent
An item shows typical signs of wear due to occasional use.
Very good
An item is considered wearable but has some surface flaws, i.e., staining, soiling or colour damage.
Good
An item is wearable but cannot be returned to excellent condition even if repairs are made.
It is good to remember the older a garment is, the more likely it will display indications of its age. Signs of wear should be expected – after all, we are talking about clothes that are minimally 30 year old! It is always wise to ask the seller to specify any damage or irregularities a garment may have as relying solely on a condition term can be misleading.
Sanna 9. April 2008 | How to? | Comment [2]
How to Get A Musky Smell Out of Vintage Clothes
Generally speaking, the garments that are for sale at reputable second hand stores or vintage boutiques are in great or excellent vintage condition and they may not require extensive cleaning. However, they might have a undesirable musty smell you want to get rid of pronto. How to proceed?
If you can wash the garment in question, you can fix this unpleasant problem by using vinegar, which will get the musky and moldy smell out of the clothess. Pour a few cups of white distilled vinegar in the machine or sink and wash the clothes in hot water.
Smoky odors can be easily removed from vintage clothes by filling the bathtub with very hot water mixed with one cup of white distilled vinegar. Hang the garments above the steaming water and shut the door in order to let the steam penetrate the fibers.
If you have an air ionizer, you will get the smell out of the vintage garments without any cleaning involved. You need to put the clothing in a sealed room with the machine for a day or two. However, remember not to put items containing rubber or elastic with the ionizer, as it will cause them to disintegrate.
