Whether you have one medal from many years gone by or an entire cabinet of recent achievements, it’s important to keep them in top condition, and there are several key factors to take stock of when doing this.
You deserve to have your victories sparkle and to leave any visitors in awe, but that can only happen if you’re aware of the best ways to maintain your trophy.
1. Each material is different
Trophies of all kinds are often made from different materials, and so you need to know the best way to clean and care for each one to ensure their shine lasts as it should.
For example, awards made from silver are particularly vulnerable to the elements (especially the humid conditions that are common in Queensland), so a trophy cabinet would probably be a worthwhile investment.
2. Cleaning is key
Trophy maintenance isn’t just about putting them in the right environment and leaving it there – you’ve got to put a bit of work in yourself to maintain that sheen, usually with a polishing cloth once a month. Soapy warm water works wonders to get rid of dust buildup, but if it’s tarnished, you might need a special paste to restore its gleam.
As you can probably guess, the material of the award plays a part in this, so make sure any product you apply will definitely work with the trophy (or trophies) you have.
3. Avoid leaving fingerprints
Even if you polish your trophy regularly, your hard work might be diminished somewhat if there are visible fingerprints left behind. These should be removed wherever possible as they could tarnish the award, and this is why it’s best to wear gloves when cleaning or maintaining your trophies.
Latex gloves, however, might not be suitable for silver awards as the rubber can easily react with the material.
4. Don’t take shortcuts
It can be tempting to put the trophy in the dishwasher and be done with it, but this is definitely not the right way to go – metal awards can be damaged if they’re cleaned at high temperature, so it’s best to hand-wash them with only warm water as said above. You also need to take your time with the polishing, making sure to go in straight lines in one direction, instead of vigorously scrubbing all over in a rush to get it done.
These are your accomplishments, and they deserve to be given the care they need to thrive – you can never rush a good shine!
As you can see, a surprising amount of it comes down to what the trophy is made of, but it’s easy enough to remedy this with the right products, and a trophy cabinet is always worth a buy even if your victories do just fine in the open air. At NQ Plaques and Trophies, there’s always a trophy for every occasion, for any setting, and from all kinds of materials.
For more trophy tips, read more on our previous blog Tips for Creating A Memorable Sports Trophy!
