DIY JEWELRY CLEANING
We wanted to share our best tips and practices for keeping our jewelry clean and wearable for generations. The most important tip of all is to wear your jewelry regularly! When you aren’t wearing it make sure to clean it first, and then store in a small ziploc of pouch. Add a silicon pouch from your favorite shoe box to add extra tarnish protection. Every jewelry cleaning kit should include a soft clean cloth and a baby toothbrush (softest). Read below to learn more about cleaning each different material
Silver:
Silver cleaning cloths work wonders! Our shop favorite brand is Sunshine cloth, you can purchase the great silver and gold cleaning cloths online. Always use a super soft brush like a baby toothbrush if you want to deep clean. There are lots of home remedies, research online for more suggestions! In store we use a gentle abrasive paste and a silver cleaning liquid to deep clean our silver jewelry.
Gold Fill:
For light cleaning: Wipe with a damp micro fiber cloth to remove oils and light residue before storing. Store in a sealed ziploc bag, adding a silicon packet for added protection. For deep cleaning goldfill jewelry: Fill a bowl with lukewarm water and a few drops of gentle dish soap (avoid antibacterial) and let the piece soak while watching a movie. Gently scrub with a baby toothbrush, or another soft bristle brush, to remove any residue.
Gold Plate or Vermeil:
Avoid banging or scratching the jewels, always store wrapped for protection, the best option is a fabric pouch. Clean using a soft cotton cloth, you can dampen with a bit of water if needed. The most important part of keeping gold plated jewelry looking its best is to care for its surface, avoiding bangs that could chip the gold layer. That being said, most local bench jewelers in your area can re-plate your gold jewelry if you want to freshen up the plating! Pro tip: Recycle a clean t-shirt to polish your plated gold jewelry
Pearls:
Pearls love to be worn! This is the easiest way to keep them looking their best. Experts say to always put your pearls on last and take them off first! This will help to prevent the pearls from coming into contact with any chemicals, which can destroy their luster and nacre. This can include swimming pools, hot tubs, sunscreen, perfume, lotion, etc. Pearls are very soft and are best stored in a cloth pouch to avoid and accidental chipping of the nacre surface.
Gemstones:
Gemstones also love to be worn! For light cleaning: Wipe with a damp micro fiber cloth to remove oils and light residue before storing. For deep cleaning: Fill a bowl with lukewarm water and a few drops of gentle dish soap (avoid antibacterial) and let the piece soak while watching a movie. Gently scrub with a baby toothbrush
