How To Keep Your Jewelry Clean

Jewelry is made from mostly soft and delicate materials. Your new diamond engagement ring set in gold will not last to see your 10th anniversary unless you treat it properly. Diamonds DO chip and crack and get dirty! Gold and even platinum is soft enough to mold into all those beautiful things we love. That means it's also soft enough to bend and scratch while doing the laundry, dishes, even typing on the computer. 

I find I cannot be terribly nice about this. I have seen jewelry with things LIVING in it. So allow me to be frank about this topic because it will keep your jewelry at it's best.

In the morning: Do not wear perfume on areas where your jewelry comes into contact with your skin. That perfume will still be on your jewelry tomorrow and, trust me, it will not smell the same. Put your hairspray on before your jewelry. You may as well just wear cubic zirconias rather than diamond stud earrings because diamonds look dull with a coat of hairspray. Put your jewelry on last. This will keep it out of contact with your cosmetics as much as possible.

During the day: Do not put hand lotion on without first taking off your rings. This is the #1 reason your rings look dirty. And TRUST ME, under a microscope they ARE. Hand lotion, dead skin, and dirt builds up under the space between your finger and ring and gets crammed under the prongs. This build up can actually lead to skin dermatitus that causes your finger to become red and raw. Keeping dirty jewelry on is not only bad for the jewelry it is also not hygenic. Don't prepare food with your rings on. Don't do the dishes or the laundry either.  Diamonds LOVE grease. That's why they use grease belts to mine them. Diamonds will hold onto grease until you give them a good soak and scrub.

In the evening: Get into the habit of taking off your jewelry as soon as you walk in the door. Put it in the same place every time to avoid losing it. The less you wear your jewelry the longer it will last. And yes, I do mean your wedding ring too! A band can be left on as long as it is thick, solid, and has no stones. But take it off once a week to soak it well and clean your finger. Your wedding ring with diamonds is like a germ and grime trap. Being sentimental by never taking it off is not sweet, it's gross. And you are not doing your jewelry any favors by leaving it on all the time.

If you follow my advice, however unpopular it may be, you will avoid much of the usual wear and tear including damaged or missing gems, bent and broken prongs and precious metal wear. Have your jewelry professionally checked and cleaned at least twice a year. Many jewelrs will do this for free and it's worth stopping in to have done.Wear your jewelry and enjoy it but treat it with care and respect!

For more on cleaning your jewelry there are some helpful tips in my previous blog about Patina on Vintage/Antique Jewelry.