Jewelry Cleaning Tips and Tricks
While we are all in the cleaning mode, and who wouldn’t be with the virus going around, it’s important that we also take care of our jewelry. Here are the best tips and tricks we have for keeping your jewelry clean, bright and sanitized.
Take OFF your jewelry regularly
What most people don’t realize is that your jewelry gets used (and abused) by many daily activities. For instance, we use our hands for EVERYTHING - and if we keep our rings on constantly then they will get that same abuse. So the first thing we suggest? TAKE YOUR RINGS OFF! Keep them in the same spot every time so that nothing gets lost, and see how much more mileage you get out of your jewelry when you let it rest during those rough activities. Trust us your rings and bracelets will thank you later!
Where to wear your jewelry:
At meal times
On dates
At work
Binge watching your favorite show
Where not to wear your jewelry
Cleaning
Gardening
Working out
2) Bring it into a jeweler to check
Taking your jewelry off regularly will help to elongate the lifespan of your jewelry, but to keep it in tip-top shape! A quick trip to Sparrowood can give you the piece of mind that all of your jewelry is cleaned and ready to be loved. Just like taking your car to get serviced, your jewelry needs to be checked.
We recommend at least having your stones checked twice a year and rhodium plating for white gold rings at least once a year. This will keep them looking bright white instead of a faded two tone coloring, and also who doesn’t like someone else doing your (literal) dirty work?!
3) Use a cleaner to soak gems (our favorite? Lavish!)
All jewelry gets dirty, scratched, and worn as time goes on. One thing that doesn’t have to change? How it sparkles! While we highly recommend avoiding harsh chemicals - there are certain cleaners that are safe to use on almost all types of jewelry.
Warm soap and water for instance does really well with pearls
A polishing cloth is the easy fix for sterling silver, or tarnished gold pieces
When you are at home, using a toothbrush and windex will help a diamond shine if you are in a pinch.
Our favorite cleaner though…LAVISH. It is completely biodegradable with no harsh chemicals and can be used on almost any stone or metal. It is even recommended by RealSimple!
Cleaning jewelry doesn’t have to be hard
Important note - we DO NOT recommend putting hand sanitizer on stones such as pearls, opals, emeralds, or polished beaded jewelry.