The best thing about having a large jewelry collection is getting to wear every piece that you have added to your jewelry box over the years. The trouble with having lots of choice and variety in your jewelry box is trying to maintain it and keep it clean!
Whether you have predominantly sterling silver jewelry, gold jewelry, items with gemstones, diamond jewelry, or even costume jewelry, every item that you own deserves to be kept in good condition. not only will it look better but it will last longer. Without proper care, gold can become dull, silver can tarnish, diamonds can lose their shine and costume jewelry can simply break.
You should have jewelry insurance for heirlooms and your most precious items and can also consider employing the services of a professional jewelry cleaner maybe once a year but you should be able to execute the fundamentals of good jewelry care for the majority of your collection.
With this in mind, here are some of the best tips for how to keep your jewelry in pristine condition!
Do Not Store Jewelry In or On Wood
It is not a good idea to store pieces of jewelry in wooden boxes or caskets even though these are readily available in stores. It is also best to not leave fine jewelry lying around on wooden surfaces. Most woods used in furniture and home accessories are treated with chemicals that can stain and tarnish the jewelry which will lead to discoloration. If you want to use drawers for jewelry storage, put the pieces in pouches, bags, or boxes (see below).
Consider Ziplock Bags
Over time, all jewelry comes into contact with the natural moisture that is in the air, and on silver particularly, this can lead to unsightly tarnishing. To counteract the exposure to moisture, pop your precious pieces of jewelry into ziplock bags. Squeeze the air out of the bag before closing. If you don’t like the look of ziplock bags in your jewelry drawer, then you can always place the bags in more attractive pouches/cloth bags or keep them in the original boxes if you have them. The main goal is simply to keep the jewelry as airtight as possible when it isn’t being worn.
Store Silver With Chalk
Another tip to counteract the problem of moisture, particularly for sterling silver jewelry, is to store it alongside some chalk which is a very absorbent substance that will keep moisture away from the items. If you find chalk too dusty or messy in itself, then you can also use more advanced methods to achieve the same thing like silica packs or a dehumidifier nearby. Low humidity will help preserve your jewelry.
Don’t Mix Jewelry With Skincare/Makeup
Always put on your jewelry after you have performed your skincare and makeup routines. If things like rings and necklaces in particular come into contact with various lotions, perfumes, and hairspray, then they will get dirty at a much quicker rate and will begin to tarnish. Product will also build up in any gaps and crevices.
Try to take off engagement rings and wedding rings when you are applying cosmetics and beauty products like lotions and moisturizers. It can take a while to get used to but it will benefit your jewelry in the long run. Equally, you should never wear silver jewelry when you go swimming or spend any amount of time in a sauna.
Store In A Dark Location
Do not store or leave jewelry in direct sunlight. Leaving precious metals and gemstones out in the direct light of the sun can cause significant amounts of dulling that often cannot be reversed. Direct sunlight can also heat precious metals to a higher temperature than most jewelry is happy being kept at. Ideally, you should keep your jewelry organizer somewhere that is dark, dry, and at normal room temperature.
Clean with Dish Soap And Warm Water
You might have seen stylish ads for ‘advanced’ jewelry cleaning solutions online, but believe us when we say that all you need to thoroughly clean and maintain a piece of jewelry is mild dish soap, warm water, and a soft cloth/polishing cloth. It is a simple process of submerging the pieces in the soapy liquid and using the cloth to rub any dullness, film, or discoloration away before rinsing in cool water and buffing. Some people like to gently use a toothbrush for the more stubborn items, but cleaning jewelry doesn’t necessarily have to include this step.
Finding out how to do things on the internet is brilliant but approach hacks and tips for cleaning jewelry with extreme caution. Do not use weird household items like mayonnaise, ketchup, toothpaste, vinegar, or any other seemingly random suggestions. No professional jeweler would ever use any of these things and neither should you.
Keep Silver And Gold Separate
If your collection features lots of gold and silver pieces, store them separately and away from each other. Gold, especially high-karat gold, can scratch incredibly easily, so if you can, keep your most precious gold items in soft cloth bags on their own or even better, in their original boxes that will have been sufficiently lined and cushioned.
Wear Pieces On Rotation
We all have those particular pieces of jewelry that mean a little bit more to us than others, but as much as you can, wear your collection in rotation so that no one item gets stuck being worn out in the elements for too long. Mix and match everything that you own to get as much mileage out of everything as possible without ‘overworking’ any one piece that might need to be cleaned and stored for a while. And who knows, in doing so you might rediscover pieces from your collection that you forgot you even owned!
Use An Anti Tarnishing Cloth
One of the best preventative things that you can do to keep your jewelry in pristine condition is to invest in a good quality anti-tarnish cloth. At the end of the day, each evening, get into the habit of wiping the jewelry that you have been wearing with the cloth before you store it away. This will make sure that any lingering oil, dust, and moisture are wiped away.
Don’t Soak Porous Stones
If you have items of jewelry that contain things like pearls, opals, and other porous stones, then do not soak and submerge these like you would with other kinds of jewelry. Instead, the recommended form of cleaning is to use a small makeup brush that has been dipped in mild soap and water and then use a damp cloth to wipe the stones before storing the pieces carefully.
You might not see the physical change in your jewelry as it gets duller, scratched, or tarnished but it is happening and does so over time. Avoid it by storing each piece properly and carefully and cleaning it regularly. A little TLC not only keeps your fine jewelry looking good but helps it retain resale value.
