Earrings

Any earrings can get dirty. Dust and dirt smudge them, which causes the jewelry to lose its shine and glint. Special care is needed for items made of silver and sterling silver. Women’s earrings made of the latter material can become dull faster due to the small amount of copper in the alloy.

Both materials can be washed with a mild solution of dishwashing detergent. Pour warm water into a bowl, add some detergent. Dip a soft-bristled toothbrush into the liquid, gently wipe the silver. After cleaning, rinse the earrings in clean water, immediately after wipe them with a soft cloth. Make sure beforehand that the dishwashing detergent does not contain ammonia of phosphates.

Sterling silver can be treated with olive oil and lemon juice. One teaspoon of oil is mixed with 120ml of juice. Use a plastic container for mixing. Dip a cloth in the solution, polish the silver.
Baking soda can also be used to clean silver. Line a bowl with foil, shiny side up. Place the jewelry on it, pour in water and add soda. You will see small bubbles appear around the earrings. Let them sit in the mixture for about an hour. After that, rinse them and polish them with a soft, clean cloth.

At home, you can use toothpaste or salmiac. Try to work carefully so as not to scratch the silver or break the earring. Do not use abrasives, strong acids, hard brushes or other rough materials for cleaning.

Stud earrings can have a metal or silicone retainer. The former needs to be unscrewed from the pin. It the retainer element has “ears”, place your fingers on spots where there are none. The silicone element is smoothly removed from the guiding stud: pull it in the direction opposite to the earlobe.

English clasp silver earrings are easy to remove:

• Hold the jewelry with two fingers so that the thumb touches the earring and the index finger touches the pin
• Use the thumb to pry the pin up until it clicks
• Remove the loose earring from the ear

Congo earrings are easy to remove if you first lubricate the lock with a small amount of oil. Open the clasp. You can try rotating the jewelry to the back of the ear, then pull one half out of the other, carefully bending the earring across. Remove through the created distance between the two halves.

In many cultures, earrings have been and remain a symbol of wealth. They can also have personal symbolic meaning. For example, jewelry with hearts or an infinity sign is often given as a sign of love and affection. A bird in flight, a wing, a feather – are symbols of freedom, will, creativity. Such earrings are a suitable gift for a creative person. Earrings with stars have a complex symbolism. They can symbolize fortitude. Often they are given by parents as a reminder that they are proud of their child.

Earrings with a cross are popular. They can indicate faith, religious affiliation, but sometimes it is simply a fashion accessory. In the latter case, the cross is decorated with gems, there is no crucifix or other symbols that are characteristic of the Christian faith.