How to Care for Your TierraCast Parts ~
Tarnish Happens! Regular wear, exposure to chemicals, household products, even air and water can cause your TierraCast components to get tarnished or dingy. Read on to find out how to keep your jewelry looking good!
TIERRACAST FINISHES
Not all finishes tarnish equally. By their nature both gold and rhodium will not tarnish under most ordinary conditions, and our Brass Oxide and Antique Pewter finishes have a lacquer coating which will slow down any darkening from oxidation. Our silver and copper plated pieces are the most susceptible to the elements.
TierraCast uses fine silver on its -11 and -12 silver plated parts. The composition of the silver plate provides the warm white color that is a good match with other silver components. Just like its cousin sterling silver, fine silver will tarnish during common use, especially if subjected to harsh conditions, like water in a high sulfur hot springs! Our copper parts are plated with pure copper so that their final appearance closely matches the natural tarnish of other solid copper components, and are chemically antiqued.
WHAT IS TARNISH, AND HOW TO AVOID IT
Tarnish is a discoloration caused by exposure to oxygen and sulfur dioxide in the air. Sulfates can also be found in common materials like papers, plastics, leather, and cleaning and beauty products. The tarnish is a thin layer of oxidized metal on the surface and does not penetrate the item. On sterling silver this layer is usually grey to bluish black in color; on fine silver the color is a lighter tan color.
The tarnish on copper parts presents somewhat different issues. As copper readily oxidizes toward a deep brown color, the question is usually whether to allow the item to “go its natural course” or to periodically brighten the highlighted surfaces.
Some tips for avoiding tarnish on silver and copper, and keeping other finishes bright include:
- Keep it dry - As with most metals, our platings do not like to get wet, so avoid exposing to activities such as swimming, showering or washing dishes.
- Avoid exposure to products - Hairspray, perfume, lotions, makeup, and cleaning products can affect your jewelry. Put your jewelry on after dressing, grooming or cleaning.
- Store properly - Avoid storing in the open air. It is much better to store in a jewelry box or zipper storage bag to keep the air out. Optional for our Fine Silver and Silver-filled finishes – store with Anti-Tarnish Strips.
- Clean regularly - remove tarnish and soil when it is minimal. The longer you go between cleanings the harder it is to restore your pieces to their original luster.
OPTIONS FOR CLEANING ALL TIERRACAST FINISHES
Gold (-25, -26)
- Soak* in Jewel Brite jewelry cleaner or similar
- Soak* in mild soap and warm water
- Clean with cotton swab and acetone
- Dry/polish with chamois or soft cloth
Brass Ox (-27)
- Buff very gently with Shine Rite Polishing Pads
- Soak in Jewel Brite jewelry cleaner or similar
- Clean gently with toothpaste
- Dry/polish with chamois or soft cloth
Silver (-11, -12)
- Polish gently with treated polishing cloths (e.g. Rouge or Sunshine Polishing Cloths) †
- Soak* in Jewel Brite jewelry cleaner or similar
- Soak* in mild soap and warm water
- Dry/polish with chamois or soft cloth
- Silver Dip – soak briefly in a liquid silver cleaner for excessive tarnish (Follow product instructions, avoid using on jewelry with soft stones or pearls.)
Copper (-08, -18)
- Polish gently with treated polishing cloths (e.g. Rouge or Sunshine Polishing Cloths) †
- Soak in Jewel Brite jewelry cleaner or similar
- Soak in mild soap and warm water
- Dry/polish with chamois or soft cloth
- Buff very gently with Shine Rite Polishing Pads
Rhodium (-60, -61)
- Soak* in Jewel Brite jewelry cleaner or similar
- Soak* in mild soap and warm water
- Clean with cotton swab and acetone
- Dry/polish with chamois or soft cloth
Pewter (-40, -45)
- Buff very gently with Shine Rite Polishing Pads
- Clean gently with toothpaste
- Dry/polish with chamois or soft cloth
* Do not soak ink antiqued finishes (-12, -26, -60) for long periods of time! Dip instead of soak to avoid affecting the antiquing. For the same reason avoid using brushes on ink antiqued finishes.
† Polishing Cloths: Avoid excessive pressure. Remember, except for the pewter finishes these are plated parts and you don’t want to compromise the plating with over-enthusiastic polishing.
We do have a few customers who have reported good results using a clear acrylic spray to protect their parts. (Available in spray cans from art supply and craft stores.) It forms a clear protective coating on the parts, greatly reducing their exposure to the air. If you think this approach might work for you, we suggest that you first test the process with a few small parts of various sizes and type of surface detail. If at all possible, suspend the items from a fine wire and spray evenly on all surfaces and allow to dry well before using.
Large quantities of tarnished parts to clean? See the Steven Tierra approved technique below shared with us by one of our bead store customers!
“We use a Lortone tumbler with stainless steel shot. (Don’t use anything else or it will scratch.) The barrel is about 6 inches tall and is made of rubber. They can purchase a single or double barrel. Both are inexpensive. I throw the tarnished items into the barrel, add about a pound of shot, cover it with water and add just a small quirt of Dawn. I try to tumble it 15-25 minutes, depending on how dirty. NO MORE because it can remove the antiquing. The less the better. I drain it in a mesh strainer and rinse it well with tap water then pour it all out on a few paper towels. I dry it further with a soft towel. Please note that this will not work on heavily tarnished items. For instance, items they have left out in uncovered trays for years! Here’s a link!”
~ Suggestion submitted by Connie Haywood of Ruby Tuesday Bead Co.
We hope this information is helpful. Do you have other tips? Let us know!
Yours in jewelry making adventure,
