By Yolanda Okereke
Caring for and cleaning your jewellery doesn’t have to be difficult, but it is important that you do so carefully, to prevent damage, and ensure a longer life.
Well cared for jewellery will stand the test of time and have a nicer appearance than jewellery that is generally left to collect dust and grime without being cleaned.
The exact technique you use to clean and care for your jewellery will depend on the item itself. Regardless of the type of jewellery, you should obviously try to prevent it from being scratched, knocked around or otherwise physically damaged. Even if damage doesn’t appear immediately, knocking jewellery can often lead to unseen damage, and over time, this damage will build up or progressively worsen until your jewellery becomes irreparable. Should your jewellery suffer any damage you should have it seen to as soon as possible.
Take it your local jewellers and ask their opinion. In most cases, they will either be able to fix it themselves or send it away to be repaired properly. Super gluing any piece of jewellery yourself is a bad idea. Many chemicals can damage jewellery and you should stay away from chemicals in general. In particular, cleaning fluids, chlorine and bromine can have a detrimental effect on some jewellery.
Take off any rings or other items and leave them somewhere safe until you’re finished. Direct sunlight and extreme hot or cold conditions can also weaken the metal or jewel. Use a jewellery cleaning cloth on metal jewellery and clean regularly using soapy water, but ensure that you rinse it off thoroughly when you’ve finished cleaning. Use a very mild cloth to dab it dry and don’t rub it too vigorously.
You should also take care when storing jewellery. If you don’t intend to wear it or show it for some time then place it in an airtight bag away from heating or particularly cold areas. These simple maintenance tips should ensure the integrity of your jewellery for many years.
For those that sweat a lot, make sure immediately you take your jewellery off, you wipe them with a dry cloth, or they will tarnish over time.
If your jewellery is not Real Gold, Platinum or Sterling silver, don’t put them in any cleaner/solution, simply wipe with a clean dry cloth.
