Taking care of your jewelry is an important part of owning it. If you want your jewelry to last, you need to know how to take care of it.
Not all of us have the luxury of owning full gold jewelry, but we're all lucky that there are a variety of options out there to help us achieve the look and feel of gold without spending a ton of money. There is gold-plated, gold-filled and gold-vermeil. Each requires special care in order to maintain it's beauty.
Tips for maintaining gold-plated or gold vermeil jewelry:
Gold plated means that there is a thin layer of gold over another base metal, usually brass. In order to maintain it's appeal you can follow the following tips:
- Avoid using perfume and body spray use while wearing your jewelry. It is especially important to avoid direct contact between any sprays and your jewelry to avoid any adverse reactions with the chemicals in your spray.
- The same goes for lotions and body creams. Wait until it has 100% soaked into your skin before you wear your jewelry.
- Remove your jewelry when you are likely to sweat. Don't wear it during workouts, while in the sauna or steam room. Contact with sweat makes your jewelry more likely to tarnish.
- Remove your jewelry while showering, swimming. Avoid contact with harsh chemicals like Chlorine.
- Clean your jewelry with a soft cloth or warm, soapy water. Do not use polishing cloths or polishing liquids.
- Do not store your gold-plated jewelry with other types of metals, i.e. silver-plated jewelry, sterling silver, etc. as the different metals will cause quicker tarnishing.
Tips for maintaining gold-filled jewelry:
Gold-filled jewelry has 100 times more gold layered over a base metal than gold-plated. It is unlikely that gold-filled jewelry will tarnish if proper care is taken.
- Your jewelry shouldn't need to be cleaned too often, but when you do feel that needs it, clean your jewelry with a soft cloth or warm, soapy water. Do not using polishing cloths or polishing liquids.
- Remove your jewelry when you are likely to sweat. Don't wear it during workouts, while in the sauna or steam room. Contact with sweat makes your jewelry more likely to tarnish.
- Remove your jewelry while showering, swimming. Avoid contact with harsh chemicals like Chlorine.
- Avoid perfume and body spray use while wearing your jewelry. It is especially important to avoid direct contact between any sprays and your jewelry to avoid any adverse reactions with the chemicals in your spray.
- The same goes for lotions and body creams. Wait until it has 100% soaked into your skin before you wear your jewelry.
- Store your jewelry in airtight containers/bags to avoid any oxidizing or humidity contact.
Tips for maintaining sterling silver jewelry:
Sterling Silver .925 will easily tarnish, but it is also super easy to clean and restore to its original luster. Some great techniques to regain your sparkle are to immerse your jewelry in a sterling silver cleaning solution or, as I like to do, give it a quick cleaning with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Research all the awesome at-home techniques to find the one that is best suited to your jewelry and your preferences.
- Remove your jewelry when you are likely to sweat. Don't wear it during workouts, while in the sauna or steam room. Contact with sweat makes your jewelry more likely to tarnish.
- Remove your jewelry while showering, swimming. Avoid contact with harsh chemicals like Chlorine.
- Avoid perfume and body spray use while wearing your jewelry. It is especially important to avoid direct contact between any sprays and your jewelry to avoid any adverse reactions with the chemicals in your spray.
- The same goes for lotions and body creams. Wait until it has 100% soaked into your skin before you wear your jewelry.
- Store your jewelry in airtight containers/bags to avoid any oxidizing or humidity contact.
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Much of information in this article was happily sourced from the websites below. Please review them for even more information, tips and tricks.