Tips for Cleaning your Precious Jewelry
by Harland Gettig
http://www.rittyjewelry.com
Taking care of your jewelry will help to ensure that
it looks great now and years from now. Even
jewelry heirlooms can look stunning and brand new
if they are properly cleaning and taken care of.
Never use harsh chemicals on your jewelry unless it
is specifically made for it. Maintenance is also vital
since it will mean you need to clean much less
often. Keep in mind that each piece of jewelry is
unique due to its metals and gems, and therefore
needs unique care.
Gold is one of the most common types of metal in
jewelry. The easiest way to clean gold jewelry is to
soak in a solution of water and dish soap for about
30 minutes. Once the 30 minutes is up gently scrub
the gold with a toothbrush. If your gold jewelry
also contains other metals or stones, be careful not
to scratch them with the toothbrush. Also be aware
that gold can be harmed when subjected to
chlorinated water, so be sure to take all jewelry off.
Silver is another common metal in jewelry, and as
with gold it should be kept out of chlorinated water.
If your silver is in good condition, you can easily
clean it by running it under warm water and then
drying. However, if your silver is tarnished, you
will need a special cleaner that can be purchased at
any grocery or jewelry store. Tarnish cleaner
comes in either a liquid solution or a paste. When
using the paste, only use a cloth to clean the silver
since a brush of any sort can scratch the surface of
the silver.
Pearls are another type of jewelry that must be
cleaned very carefully to avoid scratching the
surface. Rather than soaking the pearls in any
solution (this can weaken the string), simply clean
with a damp cloth that has been dipped in dish soap
and water. Be sure to put your pearls in once you
are ready to go out since perfume and hairspray can
discolor the pearls.
There are other types of jewelry, such as diamonds,
emeralds, rubies, and sapphires that each requires
gentle cleaning using a mild solution of dish soap
and water. The most important thing that you need
to remember is be gentle when you~re cleaning any
jewelry and that you avoid the use of abrasive
cleansers.
If you do have some pieces of jewelry that are
particularly hard to clean, this is the time to head to
the jewelers. They may charge you a nominal fee,
but it will be worth it to have your jewelry look as
fabulous as the day you bought it.
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