In this article, we'll talk about the main causes of jewelry deterioration, tell you how to store and clean it, and describe a few special cases, including how to care for corals, ambers, pearls and base metals. Along with shine and beauty, there are also challenges such as scuffs and dirt.
Each piece of jewelry, has its own way of cleaning. Although basic cleaning can be done at home, it is recommended that you clean your jewelry at a professional once every 6 months.
Beautiful jewelry is made to be worn for several years, but all precious metals tarnish and become less distinctive over time if not properly cared for.
You can keep your jewelry shining for a long time if you take care of it every day.
To reduce the effects from impacts, sunlight, scratches, chemicals and temperature changes, always protect your jewelry.
AVOID WATER
First of all, let's not expose jewelry to water, detergents, cosmetics. This can have a destructive effect on our ornaments. Bathing in the bath, sea or swimming pool, cleaning, washing, exercising at the gym, sleeping in jewelry - all this can cause it to tarnish or discolor, and even damage mechanical breakage or bending .
Helpful suggestion: wear jewelry as the last step in preparing for the day. This means that before you put on your jewelry, do all your grooming, apply perfume, hair products and makeup fixing spray. Otherwise, your jewelry pieces will tarnish quickly if they are exposed to moisture every day.
JEWELRY STORAGE AND WIPING
Lint-free jewelry cloths
When you're done wearing your stuff after a long day, take it off and clean it. All you need is any cloth without microfiber. This will remove all greasy marks and fingerprints.
Bags and boxes for Storage
When it comes to jewelry preservation, proper storage is essential. Simple jewelry boxes are enough to protect jewelry from being crushed or bruised.
Boxes are all the more useful if we intend to transport jewelry. It is while moving it that it is most vulnerable to damage.
Do not put it in a sunny (e.g. windowsill) or humid (bathroom) place. Some of the stones lose their color when exposed to sunlight. Leaving amethyst, aquamarine, aventurine, citrine, fluorite, sapphire or any colored varieties of quartz in the sun will cause them to fade.
It is also important to separate the different elements in separate compartments, braided ornaments can rub against each other and cause mechanical damage. Sometimes chemical processes occur between different types of jewelry.
Keep the bags, boxes, velour or silk pouches in which your jewelry came, especially if they don't take up much space. They are an excellent low-cost storage solution.
Anti-tarnish strips
Anti-damage strips are a must, especially if you treasure your jewelry or other small metal products you own. They can preserve and prevent your jewelry from tarnishing, even if it has been stored for many years. Store them in jewelry boxes and cases, or even right next to your items. You can buy them on Allegro or Ebay, for example.
CLEANING JEWELRY
It is important to understand that cleaning jewelry at home is not always easy. In truth, one jewelry cleaning solution will not work for all gemstones or metals, as each requires unique maintenance.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) suggests using warm water with a few drops of mild dishwashing detergent. Soak your piece of jewelry for 20, then clean it carefully with a soft-bristled brush. Then dry thoroughly.
Jewelry without stones, silver or gold, can be cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner. On the other hand, jewelry with precious stones, semi-precious stones, amber or pearls requires particularly careful treatment. Some natural stones, such as hematite or angelite, react badly with water. Hematite under the influence of excessive soaking can oxidize and crack, while angelites can turn into plaster and also end up as stone crumbs. In addition, stones that react badly to contact with water are calcite, kyanite, malachite, moonstone, opal, selenite and topaz.
We recommend that antique and vintage jewelry be taken to a professional cleaner, such as a jeweler or gemologist, who is knowledgeable and will not damage it through unskillful treatment.
HOW TO CARE FOR CORALS
Store jewelry with coral preferably in a box where it will not come into contact with other jewelry. Coral may then tarnish or become porous. We suggest avoiding all heat because it is an organic material and loss of water can make it crack. Moreover, coral if it is not worn for a long time can lose its color and become gray.
In drastic cases of staining, immersing coral in hydrogen peroxide for a while helps. Alcohol must not be used to clean coral jewelry. The only remedy we can use is table salt or baking soda. The water should be lukewarm or cold, and after washing, the beads should be dried thoroughly with a soft cloth.
HOW TO CARE FOR AMBER
Jewelry with amber should be cleaned very gently only with a dry, soft
cloth. Amber is a very soft and delicate stone, so rubbing it too hard can damage the stone and cause tarnishing. It should also not come into contact with water, alcohol or detergents, as this also causes it to tarnish. After using cosmetics or perfumes, it's best to wait before wearing jewelry with amber. In extreme cases, a bath in ammonia helps to tarnish amber. Olive oil or almond oil can be used for polishing. Great care should be taken when cleaning when jewelry consists of many different materials, such as amber combined with silver or gold. Then be careful that the silver or gold cleaner does not react with the amber.
HOW TO CARE FOR PEARLS
Pearls are delicate stones that require proper treatment. The luster of pearls is due to aragonite, which is a component of mother of pearl. First of all, try to keep jewelry with pearls separately, preferably in a box specially designed for them so as not to expose them to scratches such as metal elements. We recommend keeping far from sources of heat and cold.
Pearls should not be stored in plastic bags. Chemical compounds in plastic can react chemically with pearls. Pearls need moisture to keep them from drying out so don't store them in a safe, for example. Avoid chemicals, detergents and cosmetics. Contact with them can cause erosion of aragonite.
If you wear the pearls on the bare body, after removing them, wipe them with a dry cloth because sweat also works against them.
We clean the pearls with a soft cloth and dry, very gently so as not to scratch them. However, if you do not want to clean the pearls yourself, you can take them to a professional cleaner. A gemologist or jeweler can help restore the luster of pearl jewelry as long as the damage is not too severe. It is also possible to replace the damaged thread on which the pearls are held.
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF BASE METALS
As in previous examples - first of all, avoid contact with water. Nylon and polyester cords have high resistance to contact with water, but metals do not. Water, especially chlorinated water that is used in swimming pools and salt water found in the seas can cause tarnishing and discoloration of the pieces. When storing, avoid places with high humidity such as the bathroom. A dark and dry drawer in the bedroom will be much better.
Protect from cosmetics. Metal pieces in contact with chemicals, alcohol and perfumes can become tarnished and damaged.
To clean surgical steel jewelry, you can use warm water with a little soap or a mild solution of vinegar or baking soda. However, remember not to use rough or hard cloths for cleaning.
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