Cleanse Jewelry

Caring for Jewelry:

Just like your hair, skin and clothes, your jewelry will look better and last longer with some simple care and maintenance. Fortunately, caring for your jewelry is not difficult, time consuming or expensive. Mostly, it is just common sense.

Rule of thumb: If you would not wear your heels doing it, you should not wear your jewelry either. That means you need to de-bling when you:

Wash dishes

Do laundry (check pockets, too!)

Work out

Take a shower (or bath, or steam bath, or sauna, or hot tub avoid any excessive moisture)

It is a good idea to keep a safe place, like a china cup or a ring holder, near sinks and showers so you will remember to take off your jewelry before washing.

Of course, we all forget sometimes, so if the damage has already been done, there are ways to bring the shine back to your bling. Here are the general rules, with specific hints to follow:

Inspect: Take a look at your jewelry before you start cleaning. Make sure everything (prongs, tips, clasps, links, stones) are where they should be and secure. If anything looks amiss, take it to a professional for cleaning. (Lots of mall jewelry stores will shine your items free if you ask nicely.)

Soak: Gold and gemstones like to sit in rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol for a couple of hours before you start gently scrubbing all the little nooks and crannies with a soft toothbrush. Look in the baby care aisle for the really small, soft bristle brushes. If you want to get fancy, you can mix up a solution of one half cup ammonia to 2 cups of warm water for soaking. NOTE: Pearls and ammonia or alcohol DO NoT Mix! (See notes below on cleaning pearls.)

Rinse: Once you have soaked and (gently) scrubbed, rinse well in lukewarmish water.

Dry: Lay the pieces out on a cotton towel and let them air dry.

Buff: Once dry, you can polish your jewelry with a clean terry, chamois or microfiber cloth (the key is lint-free) to bring out the shine. Try the cloths that you use for cleaning eyeglasses.

There are other cleaning options for gems, such as commercial gem cleaning solutions and ultrasonic cleaners and gem shakers. These are all easily available and work just fine but be careful with the shakers. Shake too often or too vigorously, and you could loosen the stones and damage your jewelry.

Special Instructions:

Gold: Everyone loves the look of gold, and the good news is gold does not rust, tarnish or corrode. It is strong but soft, so make sure you treat it carefully and it will last forever. This means following the common sense rules above by avoiding harmful chemicals and cleaning solutions. You will also find that storing your gold in cloth bags or original jewelry boxes will protect them and keep them looking better for longer between cleanings.

Sterling Silver: If you have ever cleaned out your grandmothers storage, you know that sparkling silver can turn into a tarnished mess without proper care. That means NO chlorine (another reason to take off your silver before washing dishes or laundry). The best way to take care of your silver jewelry is with a commercial silver polish, but there are homemade options as well. If you decide to buy a polish, remember that those can sometimes cause damage to pearls and gemstones, so save it for exclusively silver pieces or use VERY carefully.

For home grown silver cleaners, avoid chlorine and phosphates, which can cause discoloration. Toothpaste can be a good choice, but jewelers will warn you that you may get some scratches if the abrasives are too harsh or if scrubbing is too enthusiastic. If you polish with a cloth, rub the piece up and down for an even sheen.

Pearls: Pearls are lovely and versatile, but their delicate nature makes them very high maintenance. (Think of them as the Blanche Dubois or your jewelry chest). The important thing to remember with pearls is to keep them well-oiled. The easiest (and most fabulous) way to do that is by wearing them. Your skin will keep them oiled nicely. Just be sure to put them on last after your hairspray, makeup and perfume, like other household chemicals, can damage and dull pearls. If your pearls have been out of the rotation for a while, gently wipe them down with a damp cloth and rub a drop of olive oil over them to brighten them up.

1.Treat your pearls well, and they will last forever, though. Here is how they like to be cared for:

2.Wrap them in something soft like a silk square or cotton/linen handkerchief works nicely.

3.Do not store them in plastic or near a heat source, or they might dry out.

4.Handle with care. The less you touch the actual pearl, the longer your pearl jewelry will last. Pick up rings by the band and necklaces and bracelets by the clasps. Try not to clutch the pearls around your neck unless duly scandalized.

5.Only clean with pearl-specific commercial cleaners or a damp cloth. No detergents or homemade potions. No household products like vinegar or baking soda or alcohol. No ultrasonic cleaners.

6.Use your pearls as the finishing touch. Put them on last and take them off first when dressing and grooming.

7.Every couple of years, go ahead and get pearls restrung by a professional. Replacing the silk cord and knotting it between each pearl will insure against breakage, friction between adjacent pearls and pratfalls from stumbling over a string of pearls that has broken loose on the staircase.

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Written By Erin DeCaprio editorial director