{"id":1364,"date":"2021-07-08T06:50:26","date_gmt":"2021-07-08T11:50:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/twomakeahome.com\/?p=1364"},"modified":"2021-07-08T06:50:26","modified_gmt":"2021-07-08T11:50:26","slug":"can-clear-nail-polish-keep-jewelry-from-tarnishing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/twomakeahome.com\/can-clear-nail-polish-keep-jewelry-from-tarnishing\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Clear Nail Polish Keep Jewelry From Tarnishing?"},"content":{"rendered":"

All little girls dream of sparkling tiaras, dangling earrings, and glittering necklaces. Unfortunately, little girls cannot afford expensive jewelry, and cheaper jewelry is made of materials that tarnish more quickly.<\/p>\n

The Internet is loaded with ideas and hacks for preventing cheaper, or costume, jewelry from tarnishing. One of these is painting a thin layer of clear nail polish on the jewelry. Believe it or not, this method actually does work.<\/p>\n

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But what is tarnish? Are there other ways to prevent it? What happens when a piece is already tarnished? Can I use this same method on fine jewelry? These are the questions that help us to understand the importance of caring for both expensive and inexpensive jewelry.<\/p>\n

What Is Tarnish?<\/h2>\n

Tarnish is what happens to the metal of jewelry when it is exposed to air, water, and chemicals. This minor erosion of the metal causes a dark layer around the ring, earring, or necklace. More precious metals will darken and lose their luster, while sterling silver<\/a> will gain a golden hue. You may also notice that a green mark is left behind on your skin.<\/p>\n

The truth is that nearly all jewelry contains copper or another metal that will tarnish. Only pure silver and pure gold will not tarnish. This is why so many of those Ancient Egyptian artifact\u2019s glitter even thousands of years later. These pure metals also do not rust because of their low reactivity levels. So, anything below 24K gold will tarnish over time. For instance, 18K gold is made of only 75% pure gold and 25% of other metal alloys that will tarnish. Even sterling silver is made of only 92.5% silver and 7.5% other alloys. Remember, only 24K is pure gold and fine silver (or 999) is pure silver.<\/p>\n

The green you find left behind on your skin after wearing cheaper jewelry is from the patina the copper leaves behind when it oxidizes. Every notice those old green statues, like the Statue of Liberty? That\u2019s because copper was used for many old busts and statues, and then tarnish (or patina) over time. This if very common with rings, since these rub against the skin more than most other jewelry. It also comes into contact any chemicals- like lotions, perfumes, and soaps- that you use on your hands. This is why you will often be given the advice to remove rings before washing your hands or putting on lotion.<\/p>\n

How Does Nail Polish Work?<\/h2>\n

It may seem pretty obvious, but using a very fine layer of clear nail polish protects the metal from external elements. When putting a covered ring on your finger, you\u2019ll find that it stays brighter longer and does not turn your finger green.<\/p>\n

However, as anyone who uses nail polish will tell you, it chips over time. This means that every few months (depending on how often you use that piece of jewelry), you\u2019ll need to reapply another thin layer of nail polish. You must also be careful not to make the layer too thick or it will be visible.<\/p>\n

Another added benefit of clear nail polish (besides it\u2019s affordability) is that it will create a barrier between the items and your skin, which helps anyone with nickel allergies. As mentioned before, the nail polish will wear off, so if you have a severe allergy, you will need to be extra careful about when you need to reapply the polish.<\/p>\n

Acetone Usage<\/h2>\n

So, you\u2019ve already used the clear nail polish method, but you don\u2019t want to overdo the layers of polish. Can you remove the polish with acetone, aka nail polish remover? Most nail polish remover is not 100% acetone; however, it is still not recommended that you use this product on your jewelry- costume or fine.<\/p>\n

Many household products (as you\u2019ll see below) can harm gemstones and soft metals beyond repair. Even if the scratches are minor, they become more obvious over time. It\u2019s best to avoid such a harsh chemical. If it is a piece of costume jewelry that you don\u2019t care too much about, try diluting the acetone with water only as a last resort.<\/p>\n

So, what do you do when you already have nail polish on your ring? One surprising method can be to use the nail polish, again. The chemical makeup of nail polish is such that it can remove itself when laid atop another layer. Using the clear, since it is safest, simply run a coat over the jewelry, leave for ten seconds and wipe with a gentle cloth to remove. It may be tacky, so be prepared for a battle of wills, but eventually, the polish will be gone and ready for a fresh coat.<\/p>\n

Other Hacks to Protect Jewelry<\/h2>\n