Keeping your jewelry clean and how to clean your jewelry. Two questions I get asked almost daily!
Jewelry….it just makes me giddy! The sparkle, the glitter, the warmth, the feel….I love everything about it! But what good is your jewelry if you can’t find it….or worse yet, when you do find it….it is in terrible condition! As much a piece of jewelry can MAKE your outfit…a piece of dirty jewelry can BREAK it!
Jewelry….it just makes me giddy! The sparkle, the glitter, the warmth, the feel….I love everything about it! But what good is your jewelry if you can’t find it….or worse yet, when you do find it….it is in terrible condition! As much a piece of jewelry can MAKE your outfit…a piece of dirty jewelry can BREAK it!
To keep your jewelry in it's most beautiful form, I have a few basic tips for you.
Tips to keep it CLEAN and ACCESSIBLE!
- Wear it! Sounds simple right? Jewelry is meant to be worn…it LIKES to be worn…it tarnishes LESS when it’s worn…true story!! If there are pieces of value in your jewelry box that you don’t wear…I suggest you find a jeweler you trust and have them re-create something from that piece so that it gets OUT of your box…and onto your body!
- Put your “everyday” pieces someplace very accessible.If you have a ring or two, or even a favorite necklace or bracelet you wear everyday, I recommend taking it off and storing in the SAME place each night. This will end the, “oh no I can’t find my…..moment!”
- Jewelry is precious. It is special. It needs to be cared for. Use common sense and don’t scratch or bang your jewelry. ESPECIALLY handcrafted jewelry!
- Keep your jewelry away from chemicals of all kinds, swimming pools, hot tubs, PERFUME, and even extreme temperatures. The chlorine and bromine in pools and hot tubs is particularly damaging to stones and metal, and will even damage solid gold.
- Clean it regularly with mildly sudsy water, rinse really well, and pat dry with a soft cloth.
- Polish metals gently with a jewelry polishing cloth.
- If your jewelry has tarnished or discolored there are Commercial silver/gold cleaners. Be sure that any stones in the jewelry can withstand the chemicals in the cleaner. Read the label, and if in doubt, do not use a chemical cleaner.
- Ammonia and water. Use a light solution of ammonia and water on a toothbrush or soft cloth, then rinse thoroughly with water. Ammonia should not be used on the same types of gemstones that should not be used with commercial cleaners
- Store your jewelry in a zippered plastic bag
- Place it in a jewelry box
- Each piece of StudioJewel jewelry is shipped in a velvet pouch with an anti-tarnish strip in it, and then in a cute brown and pink box. Yay me!
Those are my little tidbits to help you enjoy each and every piece of jewelry you own. Bottom line….I love jewelry. I love to make it. I love to talk about it.
What questions do you have about the jewelry you own? Leave me a question/comment below and I will promise to answer you!
So, will the ammonia and water solution work on the copper in the jewelry you make? I have a necklace that could use some sprucing up. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat about my silver necklace that have pearls next to silver beads? I don't know the best way to clean the silver now that it's a bit tarnished.
ReplyDeleteMelanie, YES! but you might want to send it to the studio for a little TLC!
ReplyDeletepearls are tough monika...but if you have a cleaning cloth you can run it along the chain and your silver beads. I will have cloths in my shop next week :)
ReplyDelete