How to Take Care of (And Clean) Your Fashion Jewelry

person Jameela Ghann
calendar_today Nov 09, 2014
comment 1 comment

How To Take Care Of Your Fashion Jewelry

At Alora, we create jewelry that helps you live with intention. Jewelry that is meant to last many, many years. Keep reading to find out how to care for your costume jewelry so that it lasts (almost) forever!

TL; DR

Keep your jewelry dry
Your jewelry should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off
Store your jewelry properly
(How to) Keep Your Jewelry Clean

Care Tip: Keep Your Fashion Jewelry Dry and Tarnish Free

Keeping your jewelry dry is a great way to keep your jewelry tarnish free.

Don't Wash Dishes or do Laundry with Your Jewelry on

Many cleaning products that come in contact with your beautiful jewelry that can take off the finish. Why? Because of the harsh chemicals.

Don't Wear Jewelry In Pool or at the Spa

Chlorinated water can react with the metals found in jewelry causing your awesome bangle or necklace to change color.

Don't Use Jewelry Cleaner

Cleaner made for silver, gold, or platinum is way too harsh for fashion jewelry which is usually plated with these precious metals. Keep reading for Tips on Cleaning Your Jewelry

Don't Put on Lotion or Perfume with your Jewelry on

For the same reasons listed above, lotions and perfumes that are not 100% natural can react unfavorably with your jewelry.

Basically, keep your jewelry away from the following:

water
dishwashing soap
lotion
perfume
silver cleaner
other harsh chemicals

Care Tip: Last On, First Off

Put Your Jewelry on After You Put Your Clothes on and Before Your Take Your Clothes Off

Doing this will ensure that your clothing doesn't get caught on your sweater or t-shirt during the clothing removal process. An accidental pull of your necklace while taking off your shirt can cause a chain or string to break!

Remove Your Jewelry During Activities

When performing mundane and fun tasks, such as laundry, cooking, or gardening, remove your jewelry to prevent physical damage or exposure to cleaning chemicals or cleaning fluids.

Put Jewelry On After Applying Hairspray and Makeup

This goes back to keeping your jewelry dry. Perfumes, hairspray, lotion, and makeup usually contains harsh chemicals that can damage your beautiful jewelry. By waiting until you are all done your beauty routine you can avoid potential damage.

Care Tip: Store Your Fashion Jewelry Properly to Keep it Looking Great for years!

Keep Your Jewelry Secure

Store your jewelry in a jewelry box or other secure container that will prevent your baubles from moving around. You can also store your jewelry in a silk or velvet pouch and put each pouch in a decorative shoe box.

Use Anti-tarnish Paper

When storing your fashion jewelry try wrapping each piece in anti-tarnish paper. If you don't have anti-tarnish paper use an eyeglass cloth instead!

Avoid Air!

The air around us is what makes metal tarnish. We recommend using a Ziploc or sandwich bag with the air squeezed out to prevent oxidization.

Care Tip: Clean Your Fashion Jewelry

Fashion jewelry is fun, unique, and a great way to revamp your outfit. You have a piece of fashion jewelry you love, but you wear it every day and now it is a bit grungy. To keep your jewelry fabulous and fresh, we have created this very comprehensive guide to cleaning your costume/fashion jewelry.

Wait! Before I give you the low down on cleaning your jewelry you should be sure to remove dirt, oils and general pollutants. You will get better, more even cleaning results if you do this step first. Use a little soap and water on a soft toothbrush to clean out gunk and grime from your piece. Sometimes that is all you need, but if you need to beef up your shine game keep reading!

How to Clean All Types of Jewelry: Brass, Sterling Silver, Gold and MORE

How to Clean Brass Jewelry

Our specialty is brass, so I will start with how to clean brass jewelry.

Clean your brass with a lemon or lemon juice

Step One: Pour one cup of water into a glass or plastic container
Step Two: Add lemon juice from a bottle or a freshly cut lemon.
Step Three: Add a little bit of salt and stir to dissolve.
Step Four: Place your brass in the solution and let it soak for a few minutes.
Note: Keep your eye on your brass so you can take it out as soon as it is as shiny as you want it to be!
Step Five: Rinse off your jewelry and dry completely.
NOTE: Brass retains water spots – so always dry it immediately!

Alternatively, you can cut a lemon in half and sprinkle some salt on top of it. then rub it over the brass. Continue to step Five and Six!

Clean your brass with Ketchup!

When I think ketchup, I think fries and not jewelry! That being said, ketchup isn’t only good for food. Ketchup can be an easy way to clean your brass jewelry.

Step One: Use your fingers or a soft toothbrush to rub the sauce across your jewelry.
Step Two: Let your jewelry sit for between one and two minutes.
Step Three: Rinse off all the sauce and its residue.
Step Four: Inspect the jewelry and if it isn't to your linking repeat steps One to Three.
Step 5: Let Dry Completely.

Clean your brass with vinegar and salt

Step One: Use a glass container to mix 1 cup of white household vinegar and 1 tablespoon of salt.
Step Two: Warm up the solution in the microwave for a minute or two. The solution shouldn't be hot to the touch.
Step Three Place your brass jewelry in the container.
Step Four: Scrub the item with a cloth or toothbrush to remove additional grime.
Note: Keep your eye on your brass so you can take it out as soon as it is as shiny as you want it to be!
Step Five: Rinse off your jewelry and dry completely.

Final Steps: You can rub your jewelry with olive oil to give it a super shine!

Shop Brass Jewelry

How to clean sterling silver

Silver typically becomes shinier the more it's worn, so if you want to keep your sterling silver fresh, don't let it sit around in your jewelry box!

However, if you are saving a certain piece for a certain occasion and need some easy cleaning tips here are a few easy ways to clean your sterling silver jewelry!

Clean your sterling silver jewelry with tin/aluminum foil

If your jewelry is super tarnished, you can be sure that it will respond well to being cleaned by aluminum foil.

Step One: Find a baking tray and line it with a clean piece of tin foil
Step Two: Spread your jewelry out on the tray
Step Three: Sprinkle some baking soda onto each piece of your silver jewelry so that they are covered.
Step Four: Boil a small pot of water
Step Five: Slowly pour the water over the jewelry
Step Six: Watch in awe as the tin foil picks up the tarnish off your silver jewelry!
Step Seven: Flip your jewelry over and repeat steps One to Six.
Step Eight: Rise your jewelry and dry well
Step Nine: Store in an anti-tarnish bag!

Shop Sterling Silver Studs

How to clean diamond and other hard gemstone jewelry

Clean Diamonds and Gemstones with Alka Seltzer

Step One: Add your jewelry to a glass container
Step Two: Fill the container with one cup of room-temperature water
Step Three: Add a tablet of Alka Seltzer to your solution
Note: Don't use flavored Alka Seltzer!
Step Four: Take your jewelry out of the solution a couple of minutes after the fizzing has stopped
Step Five: Remove your jewelry and with a clean, dry cloth
Step Six: Dry thoroughly

How to clean fashion jewelry

Wash Your Fashion Jewelry With Soap and Water

Good old-fashioned soap and water works well on alsmost all jewelry! This is method is best for soft stones and plated jewelry.

Step One: Add a little bit of dish detergent to s soft-bristled toothbrush
Step Two: Run a bit of water over the toothbrush.
Step Three: Gently scrub away any smudges or grime.
Step Four: Rinse/wipe away with a cloth dipped in plain water.
Step Five: Lay the jewelry flat to dry

If this isn't working for you, you can step up your game by

Cleaning your fashion jewelry with soap, baking soda, and water

This method is similar to the one above but adds baking soda!

Shop Fashion Jewelry

How to clean gold jewelry

Boil Your Gold Jewelry

Not all jewelry can be boiled, but you sure can boil solid gold! Before you boil, make sure that nothing is glued to your gold. Also, make sure that your gold isn't freezing cold before putting it into boiling water.

Step One: Place your jewelry into a glass bowl
Step Two: Slowly pour the boiled water over your gold jewelry
Step Three: Continue pouring slowly until the jewelry is fully submerged
Step Four: Let your jewelry sit until the water cools
Step Five: Gently scrub your gold with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
Step Six: Dry thoroughly.

Clean Your Gold Using Vinegar

Vinegar can clean just about anything, so it is not surprising that it is great for hard gemstones and gold. Just be sure to use white vinegar!

Step One: Pour white vinegar into a glass container (enough to completely cover the jewelry)
Step Two: Soak your jewelry for about 15 to 20 minutes
Note: Make sure to move it around every couple of minutes
Step Three: Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and gently scrub your jewelry
Step Four: Rinse with plain water and let dry completely

Shop Gemstone Jewelry

How to Clean and Polish Pearls

Because they're so porous, pearls easily lose their luster. Whether real, cultured, or faux, you must clean them with care.

Step One: Create a solution of warm water and shampoo
Step Two: Place your pearls on a soft cloth.
Step Three: Dip a soft, clean makeup brush into your solution and cover your pearls with the solution
Step Four: Rinse the pearls with a clean damp cloth.
Step Five: Lay your pearls flat to dry
Note: This method is also good for turquoise, another soft, porous stones.

Shop Studs

What is the best homemade jewelry cleaner?

Soap and Water

With all these very specific methods on cleaning jewelry, the best method for cleaning jewelry remains soap and water! If all else fails, this is a good go-to method for all types of jewelry.