Money $aving Mondays {No.2}

I'm behind on this post due to the 4th of July Holiday falling on Monday and spending quality time with family. I opted to post about adoption first since the article I read really brought up some feelings and I've been wanting to share the news with you all, so the timing of that post was perfect.

1) In cleaning out our parents' estate, I've found myself having to clean things in order to make them sparkle, whether we are selling them or keeping them. I had forgotten my mom started wrapping her silver in plastic wrap and storing in plastic bags. It sounds ridiculous but that silver has not tarnished and it has been wrapped for close to 20 years. Wrap your silver and eliminate as much air as possible as this is what tarnishes it. It will not tarnish. Wrap it after you wash it, and it dries ~ thoroughly.

2)If you prefer, you may store your silver in flannel bags that have been treated to prevent tarnish. Take these special cautions with silver or silverplate pieces: Rubber may corrode or permanently etch silver. Never leave silver in contact with rubber bands. Also, never leave silver with prolonged contact with the following: eggs, olives, salad dressings, sulfur, vinegar, fruit juices, and alcohol ~ including perfumes or colognes.

3) Gold jewelry has not been that big in the South for years, but it will make a comeback, I know. In the meantime, if you ran out of jewelry cleaner and some pieces need extra cleaning, below is a great recipe. Use caution with fashion jewelry as those costume pieces may just be glued together and this recipe may loosen the glue.
You will need:
1 tsp. mild dishwashing liquid
1 tsp. plain ammonia
1 quart water
Mix the above in a small bowl and get a soft toothbrush that is new or has been sanitized and will strictly be used for this purpose. Immerse the gold to be cleaned in the solution, then brush gently with the toothbrush to get into the cracks and crevices. Rinse in a bowl in lukewarm water and allow to dry. You can also rub with a chamois cloth to restore a lustrous shine.

4) To remove grease from gold (either from baking or automotive grease), simply dip the gold briefly in rubbing alcohol (at least 70% isopropyl), then wipe the grease off with a soft cloth. Rinse briefly in cool water and dry with a soft cloth. DO NOT DIP gemstones, pearls, or other non-gold items into alcohol.

5) Pearls are so extremely delicate and should be treated as such. I have a very long strand that was my mom's and I triple wrap it around my neck. After I wear it, I rub it gently with a soft cloth and store it in a safe place. You can wash pearls in a very mild solution of mild dishwashing liquid and warm water. Rinse them in cool water and allow them to dry. Diamond jewelry may also be routinely cleaned this way.

6) And speaking of polishing, let's not forget the furniture: Lemon Oil Furniture Polish. You will need 1 quart of Mineral Oil + 1 Tbsp. Lemon Oil. Add lemon oil into the bottle of mineral oil. Shake to mix. To use, wipe it on and wipe it off with a clean, soft cloth. Note: Oils are flammable. Avoid open flames and do not smoke!

Until next week, shine on!