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Jewelry can be a significant part of our lives. We use it to express how we feel about each other, to ask important questions such as for someone’s hand in marriage, and we also invest in pieces for special occasions.
Because of the sentimental value that can be attached to – not to mention its monetary value – many of us would like to keep our jewelry looking just as gleaming and sparkly as the day we first got it.
This piece will offer some top tips on how you can take care of your jewelry pieces and what you might need to avoid in order to keep them in good condition.
Focus on the Metal
The metal in a jewelry piece can become tarnished and dull over time, like all good items that are loved.This is particularly true for pieces that are worn every day, such as rings, especially if you love the fashionable layered look – for more on this, see “How to stack rings” for some beautiful ring-wearing inspiration.
The surface tarnishing and dullnessare usually caused because of the contact that the metal has with outside sources. This can be anything from soaps, sanitizer, a buildupof water deposits, perfume, and natural skin oils.You might be concerned that your jewelry piece is ruined, but there is no need to worry! In many cases, you can clean the metal right up.
Stainless steel
When working with stainless steel, use warm soapy water and a soft cloth to buff the dullness away. If you find there are particularly stubborn areas, you can add baking soda to the mix.
Silver and Gold
Cleaning sterling silver can also be done in this way, but there are some aids that are designed to be used if you arestruggling with stubborn dirt, such as a silver cleaning cloth and silver polish.
To clean gold, warm water and a little bit of soap works well, too.Microfiber cloths are also great for drying!
Brass and mixed metals
If you are a fan of costume jewelry, you will be no stranger to how easy it is for that to tarnish. However, you can still clean your costume jewels! You should use a gentle formula, such as baby soap. This is great for getting those unsightly green deposits off of any brass!
Be sure to rinse with cold waterand then dry thoroughly. This is a step you cannot miss out, due to the reactive nature of brass and nickel.
Do Not Ignore the Stones
Another important aspect to think about when cleaning your jewelry is what stones you have. Some stones will be more delicate than others, such as opals, but you should treat them all with utmost care. Avoidusing chemicals, and check in advance if cleaning with certain soaps is a good idea to make sure you don’t damage your stone in anyway.
Many stones are resilient and will not have any problem being under soapy water, but if you aren’t sure, using a gentle children’stoothbrush with a tiny bit of baby soap should be enough to get rid of any buildup.
