How Do I Take Care of My Jewelry? A Jewelry Care Guide
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As a jewelry company, we’ve been asked the question, “How do I take care of my jewelry?” many, many times. We’ve also heard and seen many horror stories when it comes to people’s jewelry! So we’ve created a jewelry care guide to ensure your jewelry stays as gorgeous as you for many, many years.
Jewelry Care: Clean your jewelry with jewelry-specific cleaners.
One of the most important parts of jewelry care is keeping your jewelry clean so you can restore its shine and remove any oils or dirt that has accumulated over time. Depending on the type of jewelry that you’re clearing, you may need to use different tools, so look for cleaning tips specific to the piece of jewelry you’re cleaning.
However, keep in mind these important tips for jewelry care:
- Many types of jewelry can be cleaned using a homemade jewelry cleaner of warm water and a mild dish soap. But be sure to use a gentle cloth or brush for cleaning, especially with soft gems that are easy to scratch.
- Don’t use any cleaning products that weren’t designed specifically for jewelry. Many cleaners contain harsh chemicals that can damage the gems or metals.
- Don’t rinse your jewelry over the sink; rather put water in a separate bowl. It’s too easy to lose a piece of jewelry down the drain!
Jewelry Care: Keep your jewelry away from chlorine or saltwater.
The chlorine used in pools and jacuzzis can discolor your silver jewelry and even weaken gold jewelry over time. It also discolors gemstones. Even worse, saltwater actually erodes the soldered parts in metal jewelry, meaning, over time, your jewelry will actually fall apart. Plus, it’s so easy to lose jewelry in a pool or the ocean. Get hit by one big wave and say goodbye to your favorite gemstone necklace!
Instead, remove your jewelry before swimming to ensure it remains sparkly, intact, and safely in your care.
Jewelry Care: Store your jewelry properly.
If you store your necklaces and bracelets in a single container, you’re on your way to creating one huge jewelry ball! The chains can easily become entangled making it nearly impossible to get them apart again without damaging something.
We recommend storing your jewelry in a storage system created specifically for jewelry. There are several different options, but the two most important features are (1) they keep chains from becoming tangled, and (2) they let you easily see your jewelry so you can quickly choose what you want to wear each day.
Also: Always clasp your necklaces and bracelets after removing them as this also helps reduce tangling.
Jewelry Care: Avoid exposing your jewelry to lotions, perfumes, shampoos, or conditioners.
Precious metals, colored gems, and pearls are very sensitive to chemicals. That includes products that you might put on your skin or hair. So if you’re applying perfume or lotion or body spray, do it before you put on your jewelry.
In addition, keep the following in mind:
- Pearls and porous gems can get permanent surface damage from some cosmetic chemicals.
- Your skin should be completely dry after applying any sprays before you put your jewelry on.
Jewelry Care: Buy your jewelry from quality jewelry stores.
Though the price at some of the big box jewelry chain stores may be enticing, the old saying “you get what you pay for” is true. And in this case, it’s usually green skin, sore ears, and jewelry that only lasts a couple months (if you’re lucky). Instead, invest your hard-earned money in jewelry that’s going to last.
That doesn’t mean you have to buy real gold or even real silver, which can be very spendy. Just look for top-quality jewelry. For example, Style Dots is made from high-quality metal alloys that don’t tarnish or leave unnatural colors on your skin. We also use genuine crystals and natural gemstones.
In addition, our jewelry has an industry-leading 1-year manufacturer’s warranty!