It’s always useful to know the dos and don’ts of jewellery maintenance. So, here’s a guide to cleaning and caring for your precious accessories.
· Always store your jewellery pieces individually, preferably in a soft-lined box or in tissue paper so that they don’t rub together, scratch or tangle. Particular care should be taken with gemstones to ensure that they do not knock against one another when stored.
· When you are not using your jewellery, it can become dull. It is best to keep them wrapped at all times in a soft cloth or tissue paper. Storing silver jewellery in a sealed plastic bag or airtight box when it is not being worn will keep out the air that causes oxidation and tarnish and helps maintain the natural colour and lustre of the jewellery. Take care to avoid extreme humidity or heat as this may cause tarnishing and de-colouration of the stones. Store gold vermeil and silver jewellery in a dark, cool and dry place.
· Gentle clean your silver and gold jewellery regularly with a soft, clean cloth or a jewellery polishing cloth to maximise the shine. For more expensive jewellery get your local jeweller to do a deep clean, such as an ultrasonic clean. This involves placing your jewellery a pool of vibrating warm water, which removes any hidden dirt lodged in your jewellery.
· Avoid water on your jewellery as it can become dull and damage your jewellery. You should remove all gold-plated or silver jewellery when swimming or bathing. Chlorine and salt water in the swimming pool and oceans, respectively, can tarnish precious metals and gemstones and you should keep your jewellery away from them. Hot springs are also not good for jewellery as it contains sulphur which will turn your jewellery black!
· You should also avoid soapy water on your jewellery as this can leave a thin film on the metal which will make your jewellery look dull.
· And when you are getting ready for an evening out, ensure you spray your perfume well away from your jewellery. Your jewellery is particularly susceptible to damage from the effects of chemicals present in perfume, hairspray, make-up, nail polish remover, body oils, cooking grease, cosmetics, suntan lotion and deodorant. All precautions should be taken to avoid direct contact from these.
· If your jewellery does come into contact with water, or any chemicals, use a dry soft tissue or towel to gently pat them dry.
At Made In B, all our jewellery are sent in a recycled box, wrapped individually in tissue paper to avoid scratching and to protect the jewellery from damage. So, you can store the jewellery safely when not in use and avoid causing them any damage.
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