Best Cleaning and Jewelry Care Tips
Whether sunning next to the pool, enjoying a colorful fall hike, skiing the snowy slopes, or hosting a scintillating spring party, your jewelry dresses, defines, and differentiates you. Necklaces, rings, earrings, and bracelets – from glamorous evening gold to breezy beach jewelry – complete your look and help you feel confident and beautiful.
At the same time, with many pieces as an investment or heirloom, keeping your jewelry safe and well maintained is essential. However, many may wonder how best to clean and care for jewelry. Read on for our recommendations and tips on how to clean jewelry at home, jewelry storage ideas, wearing beach accessories and jewelry, and safely traveling with jewelry.
Why Regular Maintenance?
Maintenance means keeping jewelry clean and secure, shiny and intact, and extending its longevity. Why not learn how to clean gold or platinum jewelry at home, how to clean rings, or how to clean stainless steel jewelry? The benefits of regular care include:
Damage and Loss Prevention
Everyday wear and tear can cause metal fatigue, potentially leading to breakage. Instead, routinely checking for thinning, weakened prongs, loose stones, or other emerging issues and addressing them can help prevent damage, breakage, and costly loss.
A Brilliant Appearance
Wearing jewelry adds oils and dirt to its surface, dulling sheen over time. Cleaning and proper care help limit substance accumulation, keeping your jewelry bright and clean.
A Longer Lifespan
Regular maintenance helps extend jewelry longevity, saving you the hassle and expense of major repairs and helping prevent irreparable harm or loss.
Preserving Investment Value
By protecting and caring for your jewelry through regular cleaning, repairs, and proper storage, you can help ensure its ongoing appeal and value.
Not least, cleaning and maintaining your jewelry result in a lifetime of love and enjoyment, especially when items have emotional and sentimental value. So what’s the best way to clean and care for jewelry?
Preventative Care and Maintenance Tips
Every jewelry care guide requires regular cleaning with a homemade or preprepared jewelry cleaning solution. Cleaning removes dirt and residue and brings back the sparkle to diamonds. It also gives you a chance to assess your jewelry for damage.
Inspect your jewelry pieces regularly for signs of wear and tear. If you notice any loose prongs, latches, or worn metal, take your jewelry to a professional jeweler for a quality repair service. Ideally, have your intricate and high-value pieces professionally inspected and cleaned at least once a year.
Clean your jewelry carefully using suitable methods and solutions depending on the metal and gems. Once clean and intact, store your items safely to prevent tarnishing, scratching, or bending.
Jewelry Cleaning
Sophisticated jewelry cleaner supplies aren’t always necessary. An easy way to clean rings, necklaces, earrings, and other jewelry is to soak them in warm water and mild soap, brush them softly, and then dry them with a soft cloth. For silver pieces, you can also use non-gel toothpaste.
If you’re wondering how to clean jewelry with baking soda, don’t. Avoid vinegar, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide when preparing your DIY jewelry cleaner. Vinegar is too acidic, baking soda scratches softer metals, and hydrogen peroxide harms diamonds. Use mild detergent and water or a specified diamond cleaner.
Also, different metals and stones can benefit from a tailored jewelry cleaner solution. These include specialized gold jewelry cleaner products and silver jewelry cleaner. Always read and follow the instructions carefully on how to clean your tarnished jewelry safely.
How to Store Jewelry
Keep your jewelry in a clean, dry place. A dedicated jewelry storage box or soft-lined pouch or box is ideal for this purpose. The best modern jewelry box options have a jewelry organizer with different sections for rings, necklaces, and earrings. Also, consider a separate jewelry box for your necklaces, rings, bracelets, and earrings.
Safely Secure Jewelry While You Travel
Limit the amount of jewelry you take on vacation to prevent the heartache of losing a sentimental heirloom or engagement ring. Instead, pack only your most versatile pieces separately so they don’t rub against each other.
You could also consider investing in a replacement wedding band or stud earrings you can wear while traveling overseas. This way, you won’t have to worry about caring for your jewelry. You can have peace of mind knowing that your other precious and more valuable items are safe and secure at home.
Tips for Protecting Your Jewelry
Preventing unnecessary damage can help keep your favorite pieces in good condition for longer. Summer activities, can be especially challenging, so care for your jewelry by doing the following:
- Keep Sunscreen Away From Your Precious Metals
- We recommend removing your necklaces, rings, and bracelets before applying sun protection and waiting until the lotion is dry on your skin before putting your jewelry back on again.
- Remove Jewelry While Swimming
- Removing jewelry before entering the ocean or pool is a simple way to prevent salt water and chlorine from tarnishing metals and dulling gemstones. Chemicals can also erode jewelry, leaving bracelets and rings brittle and requiring professional repair.
- Protect Jewelry From Sand
- Stones and sand can have a sandpaper effect on your jewelry, leaving behind scratches and removing shine.
- Avoid Sweating on Jewelry
- Sweating is healthy, but not for your jewelry. Sweat and skin oils on your jewelry pieces can damage the metal finish. Tips to avoid this problem include wearing your necklace on the outside of your top rather than next to your skin and accessorizing with earrings rather than chunky bracelets.
So take good care of your pieces, switch to low-maintenance vacation jewelry, or stick to vacation earrings instead of a necklace or bracelets. However, if your jewelry encounters damage you can’t remedy with love and a homemade jewelry cleaner, leave the repair job to the professionals.
Professional Jewelry Services With JPratt Designs
Using a homemade jewelry cleaner for silver, gold, and diamonds is practical but may not be suitable for every piece. Instead, we have more than 30 years of experience in the industry when it comes to taking care of your jewelry. Our experienced and professional team of jewelry designers and craftsmen provides exceptional custom design services and repairs. Contact us for repair advice or to make an appointment for a consultation.