How to Protect and Clean Your Jewelry
Everyone loves their gorgeous jewelry. Our precious pieces commemorate special moments and cherished occasions. When properly taken care of, a fine piece of jewelry is meant to last a lifetime. However, everyday wear and tear takes its toll on our treasures. So, it’s important to know how to take care of your priceless pieces. But with so much information out there, it’s difficult to know how to reliably maintain your jewelry. That's why we created this guide to help you develop some best practices for protecting your treasures.
When Not To Wear Your Treasures
We know how fun it is to be dazzling in your favorite jewelry all the time. To protect your pieces, there are some occasions you should take them off. When showering or swimming, leave your jewelry behind. That way you won’t lose a priceless heirloom in the pool or your engagement ring down the drain. Also leave your jewelry off when you put on your make-up and style your hair. Beauty products have chemicals in them that can tarnish metal and damage gems and pearls. Remove your jewelry when you sleep as well. Prongs, for instance, can wear down faster when you’re moving around in your sleep.
Keeping Your Treasures Safe
A consistent practice for storing your jewelry is one of the easiest ways to prevent everyday tarnish. A good rule of thumb is to always separate storage based on type of metal. This prevents the metals from interacting and tarnishing each other. Whether it’s gold or silver, it’s best to keep your fine jewelry in a lined jewelry box or cotton bag. If you don’t have a lined jewelry box, always put a velvet or soft cloth at the base of the box you're using. When you’re finished wearing an item for the day, wipe it off clean with a soft, lint-free cloth before putting it away to prevent discoloration of the metal.
Making Your Treasures Sparkle
Follow these quick and easy steps to clean your gold, silver and jewels. The gentler the better when it comes to care and your treasures will be good as new before you know it! If you need cleaning beyond these steps, come to Joyce’s and let the professionals give your jewelry the love it deserves. First, stir a couple drops of mild dish soap in warm water into a small bowl. Once you’ve created suds, place your jewelry in the solution and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Next, gently scrub away tarnish from any crevices in the jewelry with a soft toothbrush. Rinse each piece in a bowl of clean, warm water. Finally, dry your jewelry with a soft cloth. Do not use a paper towel, because it can scratch the surface of your jewelry.
Joyce’s Will Do the Cleaning for You
When you're purchasing jewelry to last a lifetime, you want to keep on top of cleaning. At Joyce’s Jewelers, we’ve got your back because we offer free cleaning and inspections. When it comes to the pieces you wear every day, you should bring them in for an inspection and cleaning every 6 months to keep them in shining shape! So come visit us at 5 East Main St. today. No matter where life takes you and your jewelry, we’re here to make sure you’re always sparkling.
