Upkeep of Jewellery

22 Sep Upkeep of Jewellery

You’re loving showing off your shiny new piece of jewellery – some pearls, or a diamond ring – an engagement ring perhaps?! But sooner or later that shiny new piece will lose its lustre and turn a bit dull or tarnished. Luckily a bit of quick, easy cleaning, and some prevention tips, will keep all your jewellery looking like new!

Prevention

A bit of easy prevention will help keep the amount of cleaning you should do at a minimum, keeping it shiny and new looking longer.

Avoid contact with chemicals and lotions

Especially when it comes to gold, but it’s best to remove all your jewellery before cleaning or bathing to prevent a film or chemical buildup. When you take it off, give it a quick wipe and polish with a clean, dry cotton cloth to remove any residue you have picked up throughout the day.

Chlorine, and other cleaning chemicals, can cause jewellery to tarnish and dull quickly, so be very careful not to let chemicals come into contact with any of your pieces.

You may also not think twice about applying lotion on your hands while wearing your rings, or even spraying perfume and/or hairspray on, or near, earrings and other jewellery, but this will cause a film to form, and even bacteria to grow. Make sure to apply all your lotions and sprays BEFORE putting on your jewellery.

Know your materials

Pearls, opals, turquoise, and other soft stones require very careful cleaning as they are porous and can get damaged easily. You may just want to try wiping these gently with a clean cloth only, or use a very delicate detergent diluted in a lot of water to wipe clean, before rinsing and laying flat to dry.

Sterling silver is a metal which can scratch quite easily so use a specific silver polish, or a very, very soft clean sponge or cloth.

Consult the professionals

If you are truly worried, and have a very valuable piece of jewellery, you may want to take it in for a professional cleaning, or at least ask your local jewellery store experts what cleaning methods they recommend for your particular product(s).

At home

Ketchup, beer, toothpaste…all products that come up when you search the internet for cleaning your jewellery at home. Toothpaste can be way too abrasive for some metals, and the other two can stain. So, although there are some products you likely have around the house which work to clean jewellery VERY well, these three products should be left to their original intentions!

Toothbrush

A soft bristled toothbrush (yes even a used one!) is a necessity when it comes to at home jewellery cleaning! Sometimes all you need is a toothbrush and some warm water to shine your diamonds right up!

Dish soap

Gold and diamonds love a good bath in warm water mixed with a few drops of gentle dish detergent – just rinse well! Use that soft toothbrush to get into the little nooks and crannies that can store bacteria and grime.

Ammonia

For tarnished pieces, a few drops of ammonia in warm water – or even added to your soapy water – can fix that right up, making them look just like new.

Keep up on it!

No matter how you choose to clean your jewellery, at home or professionally, make sure you keep up on it by not letting it get too dirty. And never put jewellery into long-term storage without cleaning it first!

Just a little bit of work will ensure you will get to admire your sparkly, new-looking jewellery for years to come.