We're very quick to throw on multiple layers of jewellery, but how many of us are actively cleaning or sterilising our favourite pieces, and if you’re one of the few that does, are you damaging your jewellery by doing so?
Also Read - How To Care For Your Jewellery.
We always recommend taking your pieces before washing your hands or showering, or even swimming, especially if your jewellery is gold plated (as the water will cause the gold layer to come off completely). But, in our current 'C word we won't mention climate' as washing our hands has become a far more regular occurrence, the idea has been toyed with that it may be safest to stop wearing jewellery for a while. But, as we can't face that idea we're making sure we're keeping our jewellery as clean as possible and disinfecting it as regularly as we can, so, here’s how we’re cleaning our jewellery...
For gold vermeil jewellery:
Although we recommend trying to keep your gold plated pieces out of water as much as possible and away from harsh chemicals, we do still need to ensure our pieces are clean and free of germs (not the nicest thing to think about, we know). The safest way to do this is to soak the piece in luke warm water and non-antibacterial dish soap for 15 minutes and then brush very gently with a soft toothbrush. Make sure you do this gently as brushing abrasively will damage the outer layer. Once the piece is clean, dry it with a soft cloth immediately to avoid any water being left on it and harming the piece.
Remember to store your jewellery separately from your other pieces to avoid them scratching each other and causing harm.
For silver jewellery:
There may be lots of cleaning solutions on the market, promising to give your silver pieces the strongest shine but the best way we would recommend is similar to that of gold vermeil pieces. How to clean silver jewlery: Use a non-chemical soap, a soft bristle toothbrush and a bit of elbow grease. You can scrub your silver jewellery as hard as needs be, without the worry of rubbing off the outer layer - because it doesn't have one! So, don't worry about damaging it and instead just get your silver in the best nick it's ever been in!
Pieces with stones in:
Each gem and stone needs to be treated differently. The best way to ensure you're getting the right technique for your stone is to research cleaning tips for the stone type in your jewellery. Once you’re sure the stones in your piece are safe to clean, the safest method is soaking in luke warm water and non antibacterial dish soap, rub this on with a soft bristled brush or toothbrush, keeping brushing until you have removed any marks of stains on your jewellery piece.
If you have any questions on how to clean jewelry then please drop us a message and we'll be happy to help!
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