Cleaning Jewelry
Cleaning Copper Jewelry
I have cleaned a lot of copper in my years of making jewelry. Before I get started this copper is not coated with any anti-tarnishing coating. This coating allows the copper to stay that color until such time that it warn of or eaten away from chemicals. Those chemicals being pool water, sea water, perfumes, lotions, soaps and for some people body chemistry.
In creating jewelry and buying copper I am looking at what we jewelries term raw copper, or bare copper.
Some copper cleaning recipes are meant for your cooking pans, and shouldn’t be used to extensively. or at all. Acids rather from ketchup’s or vinegar will and could damage your stone, or pearls. That acid will eat away your lovely stone or pearls. I have even had it remove a baked on finish that gives a bead a jewelry term a picasso finish.
The other issue with using acid like that is that it will remove a layer of metal and eventually become thin and brittle. Ask me how I know that?
Now to clean said copper has a couple options. And note this will also remove a layer of metal. BUT, over many lifetimes. If you wear it and you piece turns green. I heard, by DR OZ, that your body is lacking in copper. Apparently we all need it. I must have lot in my system, because I haven’t had this reaction. Dr. Oz said that mushrooms, in your diet will help with that.
YES< I can here the groan from here, yes my dear friend mushrooms. You know who you are, we have been friends long enough and I know you don’t like mushrooms. Copper cooking pans could also be used, but I am sure those would be more copper on the exterior of pan. And not to say they are VERY expensive.
I am assuming by now that your reading this blog because you have or plan on buying copper jewelry.
Most of my costumers clean there copper like they do there sterling silver. With a tarnish remover cloth. There are many on the market and I am not here to sell you a cleaning cloth. But as a someone that cleans there jewelry for selling. I use a couple of methods.
One is a sunshine cloth, if you do an internet search you will find a lot of options. One will do for a single persons copper and sterling inventory. Once it becomes black (all over) on both sides, you can put them in the sun for a day and get a few more uses out of it until your new one arrives. I was surprised by this myself, but when you go through polishing cloths like I do you will try anything.
Thank you! Twisted by Design
Cleaning Copper Jewelry
I have cleaned a lot of copper in my years of making jewelry. Before I get started with this Blog post…..copper I am talking about is not coated with any anti-tarnishing coating. If it has a anti-tarnish coating on it, it doesn’t change color. This coating allows the copper to stay that color until such time that it warn of or eaten away from chemicals. Those chemicals being pool water, sea water, perfumes, lotions, soaps and for some people body chemistry. Body’s have the ability to change the chemistry of the metal. But that a whole lesson in Metallurgy. Which in college is what I to read to fall asleep.
In creating jewelry and buying copper I am looking at what we jewelries term raw copper, or BARE copper.
Some copper cleaning recipes are meant for your cooking pans, and shouldn’t be used to extensively, or at all. Acids rather from ketchup’s or vinegar will and could damage to your stone, or pearls. That acid will eat away your lovely stone or pearls. I have even had this method remove a baked on finish that gives a bead a jewelry term a Picasso finish. Baking soda does neutralize it (acid), but sometimes that could be to late. If applied this way, it must be done with no stones or pearls, or painted brushed on in copper area’s only and not touch stone or pearls. Which is really difficult
Stones and pearls should be treated separate from the metal. A percentage of copper is in sterling to make it stronger. So this is why you can treat copper like sterling. BUT, I say this as the artist that alters the color of copper to get the artist effect I want. So the dark effect I create to maintain, but remove the lotions and such.
The other issue with using acid like that is that it will remove a layer of metal and eventually become thin and brittle. Ask me how I know that?
Now to clean said copper has a couple options. And note this will also remove a layer of metal. BUT, over many lifetimes. If you wear it and you piece turns green. I heard, by DR OZ, that your body is lacking in copper. Apparently we all need it. I must have a lot in my system, because I haven’t had this reaction. Dr. Oz said that mushrooms, in your diet will help with that.
YES< I can here the groan from here, yes my dear friend mushrooms. You know who you are, we have been friends long enough and I know you don’t like mushrooms. Copper cooking pans could also be used, but I am sure those would be more copper on the exterior of pan. And not to say they are VERY expensive.
I am assuming by now that your reading this blog because you have or plan on buying copper jewelry.
And, while copper jewelry does require more care than sterling, and certainly more than gold jewelry, it's can be easy to maintain. ONE- A simple, quick bath in a bit of Worcestershire Sauce (yes, you read that right), or a quick brush with a SUPER FINE steel wool pad (affordable and easily available at any diy store) is all that's needed to maintain a beautiful finish. (Avoid using steel wool on stones and pearls). You can rinse Worcestershire Sauce, but dry thoroughly. If jewelry is worn frequently, an occasional gentle scrubbing with Dawn dish liquid beneath warm water will keep your copper jewelry clean. Even a soft toothbrush. Just dry thoroughly and store in a sealed container when not worn to slow the oxidation process. Living in the Midwest, humidity is what is the case for all tarnish. Hence (I am guilty of this) do not store your jewelry in a bathroom. This method will help maintain the dark color of copper.
Most of my costumers clean there copper like they do there sterling silver. With a tarnish remover cloth. There are many on the market and I am not here to sell you another cleaning cloth. But as a someone that cleans there jewelry for selling. I use a couple of methods.
Two- is a sunshine cloth, (yellow hence the name) if you do an internet search you will find a lot of options. One will do for a single persons copper and sterling inventory. Once the sunshine cloth becomes black (all over) on both sides, you can put them in the sun for a day and get a few more uses out of it until your new one arrives. A few more uses, but that will give you time to order another. I was surprised by this myself, but when you go through polishing cloths like I do you will try anything. The cloth doesn’t go back to it’s original color, it just fades he tarnish on the cloth.
Three - is with experience in sell retail, it was required to dust and polish a lot. Sticky fingers from kids, oils from hands. You see tarnish and cosmetic cover jewelry doesn’t sell. So in that case with my trusted maid, (ME) I used a mild version that I would recommend—NORWEX WINDOW CLOTH!!!! Yes, I am not a sales rep, but I have even seen these on Etsy for 16$. But these are for light duty, you could use these as you would your glasses, polish before wearing.
Fourth - home option is the glass dish, aluminum foil and warm water backing soda. The aluminum foil shiny side up and baking soda create a chemical reaction and draws the tarnish to the foil. Google this question and you will see a lot of information. Just check if your stone could handle this, I wouldn’t use it with any pearls. The baking soda may eat the pearl, fake or real. I have to do some more reasearch on this because it’s suppose to be a neutralizer.
I am sure I will write more about this subject, but for now. Think, would I want this chemical next to my skin?
Thank you! Twisted by Design
Blog Post It begins with an Idea
My first blog post and what IDEA, to write about?
Why online store?
When I am working art shows, people ask how they can reach me for sales. I have to tell you this seems to be a lot harder than selling in a physical store. Display is one of the reasons I like selling, and I am always looking or experimenting with display. The core theme of my display seems to be the same, “boho”.
Maybe more on display on another blog post. But this post about online webpage.
I am taking notes to help with this steep learning curve. I have never been a computer person. I know my job was creating things on a computer at one time. But my first class was hand drawings. And than the next semester they said that class was going away for good. But I would end up still needing those kills when translating all those drawings to CAD. My first computer class I had to watch the “kids” in order to learn how to turn the darn thing on. Luckily, I had a teacher that was encouraging.
Notes:
You are human you “WILL” make mistakes. And as long as you learn, keep at it. Lets hope it doesn’t cost you in monitory funds.
It will cost you, all free things are not good.
Don’t get distracted, get errr done.
Marketing, Marketing, Marketing. People can’t find you if you don’t show them where your at.
Don’t under value your self. It takes a lot to run a business.
And my goal, is to sell things so I can have money to buy supplies and tools to learn more and make more stuff.
More on tools in another post.
And last but not least try and have fun. If I tell myself I can’t do it, it going to be that way isan’t it? So have a good attitude, there a difference in can and won’t.
P.S. note, not sure if you can comment yet. Still working on that. But if you want to and can’t here, drop me a line on Facebook or e-mail twistedbydesign2@gmail.com.
Thank you! Twisted by Design
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.