Personal Care Products

Through our daily grooming rituals, we are frequently exposed to various chemicals which may not harm us, but could be harmful to our jewelry: hair spray, mouse, body lotion, moisturizer, perfume, make-up, shaving cream, and soap, just to name a few. These chemicals can leave a residue on jewelry, creating a dull film that is very difficult to remove. To prevent this buildup, remove your jewelry before bathing and grooming, and put it on right before you get on with your day. Think of your jewelry as the finishing touch.

Housework

Jewelry does not work well with household chores. Before you're about to clean the kitchen, assemble a bike, build your dream deck or do any other work around the house, make sure that you take off all your jewelry. Harsh, abrasive household cleaners can cause hard to remove buildup and leave dulling scratches. It is especially important that you remove all jewelry when working with power tools: chains, rings and earrings may get caught on a power tool and break or cause serious injury. (Be sure to follow all instructions when using such tools.)
Chlorine bleach may be able to save those dirty socks, but it can destroy your jewelry, especially silver. When silver is exposed to chlorine bleach, the chemical has an oxidizing effect on the metal, causing the metal to turn an unsightly black. In most cases, standard household jewelry cleaners cannot remove the blackened metal. A professional jeweler with the proper equipment might be able to help. To be safe, always remove your jewelry before working with chlorine bleach.

Water

Although we use water to clean much of our jewelry, you should thoroughly dry your jewelry after exposure to water, especially before storing it in an enclosed space. Moisture fosters tarnish on silver and can weaken springs and clasps.

  Extreme Temperature

A sweltering sun or cold winter day will not harm your jewelry. However, it's a good idea to keep your jewelry away from extreme heat and cold. Some jewelry is more sensitive to heat than others. For example, extreme heat (comparable to the temperature of boiling water or very hot tap water) could damage jeweler's cement commonly used with costume jewelry, cultured pearls or marcasite. Moreover, a rapid increase in temperature could cause thermal shock, leading to fractures in some gemstones.

The key to protecting your jewelry is not only in how you wear your jewelry, but also in how it's stored.

Give It Some Space

When storing your jewelry, you should give each piece its own space. Metal can scratch or scuff other metal. Diamonds and other hard gemstones that come in contact with metal or each other can destroy luster, or cause more serious damage. For this reason, protect each piece by storing it in it's own individual container or compartment. Or, if you prefer to keep all your jewelry together in one big jewelry box, place each individual piece in a pouch or a self-sealing plastic bag. (If you do use a plastic bag, make sure that the piece is completely dry before storing.)

Fasten the Clasp

For bracelets and necklaces, always fasten the clasp when storing. This will help prevent any tangling that might occur.

Dry, Dry, Dry

It's very important, especially for silver items, to thoroughly dry your jewelry before placing it in an enclosed space. Moisture fosters tarnish and can weaken springs and clasps. Moreover, certain gemstones are prone to suffer from water damage.

The most common reason is metallic abrasion, caused by make-up on the skin or clothing. Cosmetics often contain compounds harder than the jewelry itself, which wear or rub very tiny particles. Very finely divided metal always appears black rather than metallic, so it looks like jet-black dust. When this dust comes into contact with absorbent surfaces such as skin or clothing, it sticks, forming a black smudge.
To prevent this, you can try switching cosmetics. If this is not possible, it's recommended that you remove rings and other jewelry while applying them, and clean skin areas in contact with jewelry with soap and water.
Another cause is actual corrosion of the metals. The elements gold (Au) and silver (Ag) themselves do not corrode, but alloys of silver and copper will do so, forming very dark chemical compounds under moist or wet conditions.
When you perspire, fat and fatty acids in perspiration can cause this corrosion, especially when exposed to warmth and air. This problem can be worse in coastal and semitropical areas where chlorides combine with perspiration to form a corrosive element that discolors skin.
Smog fumes in large urban areas gradually attack jewelry and are evident as a tarnish that rubs off on the skin.

Silver can be tarnished by sulfur-containing materials. The most common everyday ones we don't think about are wool, felt, food (eggs,onions) rubber bands, latex gloves and certain paints.
Some common household products that will tarnish silver are laundry bleach, cleaning scrubs with bleach in them, saline solution, hydrogen peroxide, zinc (found in some face soaps), chlorine from swimming pools and hot tubs, salt from ocean water, and some prescription facial creams.
It's best to keep your silver in plastic zip lock bags when not wearing. This helps to keep tarnishing elements that are in the air away from your jewelry. Activated charcoal helps absorb tarnish causing elements also.

To polish silver it is best to use the least abrasive one you can find. Toothpaste is not a silver cleaner; it only scratches the tarnish and takes away silver layers. 3M's Tarni-Shield Silver Polish and Twinkle Silver Polish are the least abrasive of the commercial polishes and Tarni-Shield has a more effective tarnish barrier than Twinkle. Haggerty's Silversmith Spray Polish comes in a spray can and it leaves a protective coating on the silver.

When cleaning your jewelry, it's satisfying to watch your cherished items turn from dull and drab to shiny and bright. And it takes just a few easy steps to restore your jewelry's brilliance and luster. This section provides you with a simple method that will help you clean your jewelry as effectively and safely as possible.

Preparation

For older items with gemstones, check the settings to make sure that the stones are secure. Dirt and residue can fool you and act as a "cement", keeping a stone in place even if the setting has been rendered weak from wear. If this is the case, and the residue is removed when cleaning, the loose stone may fall out. If working over or near a sink, plug the drain.
Materials:

* A clean bowl
* Lukewarm water
* Mild dish washing liquid or a mild jewelry cleaning solution
* Fine mesh plastic or stainless steel strainer (for items with gemstones)
* Very soft, clean, dry cloth (Any dust or dirt on the cloth may scratch the piece.)
* Small, soft bristled toothbrush or brush
* Toothpick

A Word About Jewelry Cleaners

If you are using a commercial jewelry cleaner, always follow the directions for that particular cleaning product. It is also very important to maintain the freshness of the cleaner by storing it in a tightly sealed container. A stale or contaminated cleaner may be ineffective or even damage your jewelry. Check to see if your jewelry cleaner indicates a shelf life or expiration date.

 Process

If using a mild jewelry cleaning solution, pour the solution into a clean bowl. You can also make your own solution by combining lukewarm water and mild dish washing liquid. (2 tablespoons of dish washing liquid to 1 quart of water.)
For items with gemstones, place the piece in a strainer and set the strainer on top of the bowl so that the solution comes through the strainer and completely surrounds the piece. (The strainer will catch any stones that might possibly fall out.) For other items, simply place the piece in the bowl.
Soak the item for 10 to 20 minutes. (It is important to soak the piece long enough to soften and loosen any residue and dirt.)
For items with gemstones, remove the strainer to a large towel and inspect your jewelry to make sure that all the stones are in place.
Thoroughly, but gently, brush the top, sides and bottom of the piece with a soft brush to remove the softened residue. For gemstones, you should also brush the underside of the stone. Use a toothpick to reach crevices and other hard to reach areas.
Rinse with clean water.
Thoroughly dry with a cloth that is soft, dry and clean. If you are to store the piece immediately after cleaning, you should leave the piece on a towel for an extended period of time to ensure that it is completely dry.
If all the residue has not been removed, repeat the above steps as needed.