Even the best quality jewelry requires special care to keep it looking great. Jewels are made out of many and very different materials, such as, paper, concrete, resin, plastic, wood, glass, stone, clay, textile, metallurgic materials (i.e., gold filled, silver, brass, cooper, aluminium), among others... The good care practices are different depending the material of each jewel. Knowing how to care for your treasures is essential. From proper storage to gentle cleaning, taking good care of your jewelry can help you get the most out of your collection.
A common problem of silver jewerly is tarnishing that is caused by a reaction between the metal, the air and other chemicals that come in contact with it (e.g. sulfur). Moisture and sunlight can also cause tarnishing. To maintain the original state of jewels you may follow these best practices that will ensure a long, beautiful life of your pieces:
Few advices for jewels care
Do not wear jewels while sleeping.
Remove jewelry when using chemicals: shampoos, harsh soaps, lotions, makeup, hairspray, etc. Even some household items and foods (as fruit juice, eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, rubber, steel wool, etc.) contain sulfur should be avoided whenever possible since the brightness, especially of silver and gold, may damage.
Do not wear jewels in the shower, swimming pools, hot tubs, spas or the sea, the chlorine and salt water may damage them.
Avoid practice sports with the jewels on. Depending on the acidity of the skin, sweat may provoke a brightness lost.
Avoid to spray perfume on jewels because alcohol and other chemical components may affect some pieces.
Although rare, sometimes individual body chemistry can react with the metal and cause a reaction. Pregnancy, thyroid disorders, hormone levels, medications and more can affect body alkalinity versus acidity, and may cause a reaction with your piece. It’s definitely a wild-card and is based on the individual!
Store your jewelry in a dry, air-tight area (e.g. ziploc bag). Always clean your piece before storing. Use a generic microfiber cloth or lens cloth to remove any oxidation or tarnish marks. Gently rub across the surface until the shine has been restored. Occasionally, remove skin oils by rinsing with warm water and buffing with a soft cloth or microfiber fabric. You can use anti-tarnishing papers and bags for storage.
Regularly clean your jewelry. Avoid abrasive materials like a terry cloth, bath towel, and shirt to polish your jewelry. Even tissues or paper towels are micro-abrasive and should be avoided as scratching can occur. We recommend using a soft cloth, lens cloth, or any microfiber cloth to gently clean your jewelry.
How to clean your jewels:
Since jewels made out of paper, clay, wood or concrete may be damaged with humidity it is better to avoid cleaning those with water. Other jewels, especially metallurgic ones, merit a regular cleaning using warm water, liquid soap and an old toothbrush. This should be enough to restore radiance of your jewelry and hunt bacteria. Immerse your jewelry in soapy water, wipe gently with the toothbrush, rinse thoroughly and wipe your jewelry with a soft cloth. A generic microfiber felted fabric soaked with cleaning product, is perfect to polish its jewels before wearing them. You will find the microfiber felted fabrics in jewelry stores, department stores and on the net. To avoid that your silver jewels darken, put them in a pan of hot water added by lemon juice until boiling. Then rinse carefully and dry them with a chamois leather or a soft cloth. Attention however on your jewels with precious stones, certain stones not resisting the heat, and especially if they are fake. An antiseptic solution (a drug family antiseptics) or a similar disinfectant (without alcohol) cleans very well the jewels. Make your jewelry soak a few minutes, brush, rinse and dry.