A woman's jewelry is a delicate accessory, some even pretentious, which, in order to be kept for a long time, must be properly cared for and stored. Even if the role of jewelry is to highlight the beauty and elegance, wearing them countless times, without care, can have negative effects on them.

Here are some helpful tips on how to care for your jewelry.

It is very important to keep in mind that proper jewelry care differs from accessory to accessory.

A string of pearls can't be taken care of the same as a silver chain.


  1. It is important to know when to wear your jewelry and when to take it off

Regardless of the material the jewelry is made of, it is delicate. You should remove jewelry when working with your hands or if you are involved in activities that involve chemicals substances. Remove your jewelry when:

  • Swimming in chlorinated water
  • Working in the garden
  • Doing sports activities
  • Cleaning.
  1. Put on your jewelry last, after you get ready

It's tempting to put on your jewelry first when you're getting ready to go out. But it is best to leave it for last. Makeup, hair, and perfume chemicals can affect your accessories.

  1. Do not use creams / lotions when you wear your jewelry

Even if the occasional exposure of jewelry to hand / body creams (for example) will not greatly affect the jewelry, it can still destroy that shiny finish / look. It is best to use these products after removing your jewelry.

  1. Store accessories separately

No matter how careful you are when wearing jewelry, they can be damaged if not stored properly. They often break down when they are all put in the same box, where they can tangle or hit each other. Some vulnerable materials are: pearls and semi-precious stones. The best solution for storing jewelry is in separate boxes, where it cannot be touched / hit / tangled.

Consider the following storage spaces:

  • Specially designed jewelry cases
  • high / vertical chain / earring support
  • little bags for each piece of jewelry.
  1. Avoid leaving jewelry in the sun - some stones may lose their color when exposed to strong light

How to take care of pearls, semi-precious stones and silver?

For all types of jewelry it is good to use a 100% soft cotton cloth to wipe them before storage, preferably special ones for jewelry cleaning. You should never apply great force, but clean them gently. For stoneless jewelry, you can also use a toothbrush with soft teeth.

Pearls

Pearl jewelry is perhaps the finest jewelry that should generally not miss from a woman's jewelry box. Pearls should always be worn with care and delicacy. They should be kept away from strong light, as their color may fade. Pearls should never be soaked. To clean the pearls, choose a small cloth, cotton or other soft material or a special cloth for cleaning jewelry. Never use a sponge, toothbrush or abrasive cloth to clean a pearl necklace. Think about how delicate pearl jewelry is. Gently wipe the pearl jewelry after each wear and place them in jewelry boxes. This way you make sure that there are no stains, grease or other marks left on your body and that you keep them in optimal temperature and light conditions. Soak the cloth with a few drops of water and gently wipe the pearls from the necklace one by one.

Remember: all you need is a few drops of water.

It is not advisable to use special jewelry cleaning solutions that you can find on the market to clean the pearl necklace. These solutions contain too much ammonia and should not come into contact with pearls.

The pearl necklace lock can be wiped with a jewelry cleaning solution. You can use an ear stick to avoid touching the pearls. Depending on the material, you will choose a suitable cleaning solution. Silver can be cleaned very well if you use a little extra toothpaste, but if you have a semiprecious stone on the necklace lock, this method is not suitable.

Silver

Silver jewelry can become black or yellow over time due to chemical reactions between our skin's pH and metal. However, oxidizing silver is not an irreversible process, so you can restore its color if you clean it regularly.

Soap and water: Silver jewelry can be cleaned with a mixture of warm water and dishwashing detergent (free of ammonia and phosphates). If that doesn't work, try the methods below. The mixture of soap and water for cleaning silver jewelry is recommended before trying any other method.

Baking soda and water: Non-whitening toothpaste can be used as a good substitute for silver cleaning solutions. These toothpastes are hard to find and it is difficult to distinguish them from those that will discolor jewelry. Instead you can create a paste made out of water and baking soda, and use it in a small amount on silver jewelry. Use a cloth to lightly polish. For engraved or inscribed jewelry, you can use a clean toothbrush with soft bristles to clean the grooves and cracks.

Once you're done, rinse the jewelry with tap water and dry it with a clean cloth.

Olive oil and lemon juice: Mix half a cup of lemon juice with a teaspoon of olive oil in a bowl. Insert a microfiber cloth into the solution, wipe and polish the silver. Once you're done, rinse it with water and dry it.

White vinegar and baking soda: Make a mixture of half a cup of white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Add the oxidized silver to the solution and leave it there for 2-3 hours. You may notice an effervescent effect, but this is normal. Rinse and dry the silver object once you're done.

Baking soda, salt, aluminum foil and hot water: You can use a simple chemical reaction to clean silver jewelry. Ingredients for this product include: Baking soda, aluminum foil and salt.

Cover a glass tray with aluminum foil, placing the glossy side of the foil down. Place the silver jewelry on the aluminum foil and then pour hot water over it until it is completely covered. Now add two tablespoons of salt and two tablespoons of baking soda. You do not want the granules to scratch the jewelry, so mix until the baking soda is completely dissolved.

The chemical reaction causes the transfer of oxidation marks from the jewelry to the aluminum foil. You will see traces of oxidation disappear from the jewelry in 5-10 minutes. It may smell similar to a rotten egg. This is normal and you don't have to worry about it.

Once you're done, rinse the jewelry with tap water and wipe it well with a clean cloth.

Semi-precious stones

Some semiprecious stones may be more "pretentious" than others, so they will react differently depending on their hardness, heat, light, acids or cleaning solution.

They may even absorb chemicals and change color, a hard brush may scratch them, and others may lose color due to prolonged sun exposure.

MARY DESIGN uses a variety of semiprecious stones in the creation of its jewelry such as those listed in the selection below. Learn how to take care of your stones according to the following instructions:

Type of stone

Method of care

Agat

Avoid sudden temperature changes, which can cause discoloration. It does not cause problems in cleaning if the stone is not included.

Pink quartz

Avoid prolonged sun exposure to avoid discoloration. Do not immerse the stone in solutions but simply clean it with a solution of soap and water and rinse well. Do not use steam for cleaning. Another way to clean and load a pink quartz is to leave it overnight in the light of the full moon. Place it in direct sunlight, either outside or on a window sill.

Lapis Lazuli

This stone is easy to chip and is recommended to be stored separately. The protective layer with which it is covered is easy to remove so it avoids immersion in water. Use a soft, damp cloth for cleaning.

Turquoise

Avoid sudden changes in temperature, abrasion, perspiration, acids, soap and detergent. Clean with distilled water. Do not use steam or ultrasonic cleaning. The color of the stone can fade into light, and cosmetics and perspiration can change color from blue to green.

Coral

It is an organic and porous stone. Do not expose this stone to direct sunlight especially for a long time and at the same time protect it from temperature variations. To maintain it, wipe it with a soft, damp cloth. Over time, it can change its luster and color. To regain its color, it must be immersed in hydrogen peroxide.

Amethyst

Keep the amethyst away from light, as stones, especially light-colored ones, may lose their color. Ultrasonic cleaning.

Jad

It is easy to scratch, to avoid shocks, sudden temperature changes. It may change color over time due to exposure to light. Requires soap and water purification and brief sun exposure.

Hematite

It is fragile and must be handled with care. If the stone does not show inclusions, it does not cause problems in cleaning.

Onix

The stone is relatively soft, porous, so it should not be cleaned with strong chemicals, which can penetrate the pores of the stone, alternating color, steam cleaners and ultrasound. The best cleaning method is with a damp cloth or a dry brush. Do not wet the stone and make sure it is dry before wearing it. Makeup, perfume or other chemicals must not come into contact with onyx.

Moonstone (Opal Bottle)

Avoid shocks and sudden changes in temperature. Clean only with soap and water, no ultrasound or steam.

Tiger's eyes

No problem cleaning if the stone is not included. Avoid strong chemicals and sudden temperature changes.

Cat's eyes

The best way to clean onyx is with a damp cloth or a dry brush. Do not wet the stone and make sure it is dry before wearing it. Makeup, perfume or other chemicals must not come into contact with onyx.

Carneol

Can fade to light. No problem cleaning if the stone has no inclusions

Malachite

Avoid shocks and sudden changes in temperature. Clean only with soap and water, no ultrasound or steam.

Rodonit

Avoid shocks and sudden changes in temperature. Clean only with soap and water, no ultrasound or steam.

Garnet

Avoid shocks and sudden changes in temperature. Clean only with soap and water, no ultrasound or steam.

The rock crystal

This stone can crack at high temperatures. Ultrasonic cleaning is recommended.

Fluorite

Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning

Sunstone

Avoid chemicals, steam and ultrasonic cleaning

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