Basic
guidelines to follow before you start cleaning your jewelry
Research and make sure you know everything about the
materials of your jewelry including: metals, stones, crystals. Many items
have different finishes and hardness, the safest way to clean up most
jewelry is using a soft dry cloth, this method will clean most of the
dusty films and item avoids scratches to items that are delicate.
How
come my jewelry has lost it's shine and sparkle?
Jewelry is affected by many factors. Many metals will
tarnish and become darker and dull due to the presence of nickel
copper, humidity and outside factors such as dirt, dust, and perspiration.
Stones and crystal surfaces are affected by outside factors such as skin
and hair care products. To avoid this problem try putting your jewelry
on last, after any lotions, perfumes, hair spray, soaps, and oils, this
will help your stones to retain their original sparkle and appearance.
Also be sure to take off your jewelry before washing, taking showers
or going into swimming pools as chlorine, soaps, detergents can be very
damaging to the delicate luster of many stones and metals.
How
to clean and polish my silver and gold jewelry
Special jewelry polishing clothes are available
specifically to clean and give your jewelry its sparkle back. These
special cloths have a fine polishing ingredients formulated to remove
the dullness, dust and tarnish from these metals.
Important note: Care must be taken when using commercial liquid tarnish
removers as these might have strong chemicals to remove tarnish,
this is specially important for plated items. Read the product instructions
carefully and do not used these products on items that have been
treated for oxidation, have special finishes or are porous stones
such as pearls.
If you decide to use liquid tarnish removers choose gentle formulas
and used very small amounts. It is very important to polish and rinse
until the formula thoroughly cleansed from the item as any residual
can add to the dullness of the metal.
Note on Plated items: When
cleaning silver/gold plated items only use a gentle silver polish,
not a metal polish intended for copper and brass. Rinse after cleaning
in clean water and dry with kitchen towel or a clean tea towel.
A dry soft brush can be used to remove polish from crevices. Never
use wire wool or an abrasive cloth to remove stains as they will
scratch the surface. Polish your item only as necessary as a small
amount of metal will be removed over time. This can be a particularly
important for silver-plated jewelry as the repeated and unnecessary
cleaning can cause the silver to be worn away.
Other
metals: Bronze, Copper & Pewter
In certain metals such as bronze, copper and pewter
their patina is often considered desirable, giving the items a warmer
vintage look as it ages. However, if you would like to return the item
to the original high polished finish of the metal you can use a polishing
cloth with a small amount of their specific liquid tarnish remover made
specific for each type of metal, rinse thoroughly and polish until
your desired color is achieved.
How
do I clean a piece that has several metals on it? Many times jewelry pieces are made of different metals,
this may give the piece a unique look but makes the cleaning process
a bit more challenging. To avoid damaging any part of the item, choose
the safest method of cleaning by using a mild soap and polishing with
a soft cloth. Pieces that are vintage and are darken due to time may
have to be taken for professional cleaning to used stronger and safer
process to preserve the metals intact
Cleaning
Precious & semi-precious stones
Precious and semi-precious stones come in a myriad assortment
of textures, finishes, so it is basically impossible to give a sure way
of cleaning for each stone without know their type, grade and quality.
The safest way to clean any stone is to rub it gently with a soft cloth
to take away the dusty films.
Many stones such as Pearls, coral, opals, turquoise and Lapis Lazuli are
well know for their porous finish and fragility, therefore extra care must
be taken when cleaning them.
There are many different types of colored soft gemstones,
some of which require specific care and cleaning procedures. It would
be impossible to enumerate all of them in this guide. However, there
are some general care and cleaning rules which apply to all soft
gemstone jewelry
If your jewelry contains soft gemstones or pearls, do
not immerse in water, as this can loosen some settings. Never use dips
or abrasives cleaners on gemstones.
After wearing, wipe your gemstone jewelry thoroughly
with a clean, soft, slightly damp cloth. This will enhance the gemstone's
luster and ensure that your jewelry is clean before storage.
Store gemstone pieces individually in soft pouches or plastic zip-lock
bags. Do not expose your gemstone pieces to salt water or harsh chemicals,
such as chlorine or detergents. These chemicals may slowly erode the
finish and polish of gemstones. Do not use toothbrushes, scouring
pads, or any abrasive material to clean your stones as it will scratch
them
Never use an ultrasonic cleaner, ammonia or any chemical
solution to clean opaque gemstones, such as turquoise, malachite, onyx,
lapis lazuli and opals. These are a porous stones and may absorb chemicals,
which build up inside the stone and cause discoloration. Simply wipe
them gently with a moist cloth until clean.
Do Not Clean Soft Gems with:
-commercial jewelry cleaners
-an ultrasonic cleaner
-steam
-detergents
-bleaches
-powdered cleansers
-baking soda
-ammonia based cleansers
-toothbrushes
-scouring pads or abrasives
What
about crystals, glass, enameled pieces
Many crystals, glass and enameled pieces are attached
to jewelry using adhesive that can be damaged by using liquids, again
the safest way to clean these pieces is using a soft dry cloth. Vintage
pieces can be more susceptible to cleaning as the adhesive can become
weak during the cleaning process.
If you
are unsure of how to care for your jewelry, consult the artist or store
where the piece was purchased.
The safest
advice for keeping your jewelry clean and sparkly
It is worth repeating, a soft cloth is also the safest
way to clean jewelry
Keep you jewelry safe from other pieces to avoid scratches.
Many times a small ziplock bag will protect your jewelry for the environment.
Put your jewelry last, cosmetics, lotions and hairspray can impact
the luster of your pieces.
Consult and read the instructions provided by your jewelry
designer and store on how to take care of your pieces.
If no other information is available use a soft cloth to
lightly dust your pieces. Pieces with years of grime should be taken
to a professional jeweler that can analyze your pieces and clean them
using the proper methods to ensure you items are polished and safe from
further deterioration.
Common questions about metals
Is german
silver the same as sterling silver?
No. German or Alpaca (metal): Alloy of copper, zinc and
nickel. Silver-colored. This alloy is resistant to tarnish and keeps
beautifully. Yet, if dullness develops over time, polish the silver areas
gently with a low abrasive silver polish and a soft cloth. Do NOT use
silver dip on the stones as it could destroy them. Items keep their shine
for a long time if you keep them in an airtight plastic bag.
What
is tarnish?
Tarnish is the discoloration of metal due to
oxidation. Most metals change with exposure to air. For jewelry, silver
is the metal that tarnishes most quickly. This is due to the presence of
some nickel and copper in most silver. Fine silver, which contains fewer
other metals, will show less tarnish over time. Sterling silver contains
92.5% or more pure silver.
How do
I keep my jewelry to become tarnished?
Jewelry boxes are a great way to keep your
jewelry organized and dust-free, however they do not protect much
against tarnish. To prevent and slow down the appearance of tarnish,
jewelry can be kept in sealed little plastic ziplock bags. Keeping
the air out will slow the process of oxidation. Try laying the plastic
bag containing the jewelry piece on a flat surface. Press excess air
from the bag before sealing. Also try using anti-tarnish paper strips
which can be helpful when placed inside the plastic bags where your jewelry
is stored.
Proper care and
cleaning will keep your stones and your jewelry lustrous and beautiful
for many years.
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