It's the time of year when many of you stay inside, and have
more time for special household projects you seldom get around
to otherwise -- like cleaning your jewelry, and implementing
better maintenance and storage techniques that will last
throughout the year. Consider these tips on your J&M Jewelry
Designs sterling silver jewelry:
Dish soap and even toothpaste are common household substances
used for jewelry cleaning, but experts recommend confining them
to sinks and mouths. These products are not designed for
jewelry, and can be too rough on the metals. Skip the
toothbrushes, too.
If you've ever had an ugly gray residue around your neck, wrists
or fingers, you've experienced the effects of tarnished silver.
Because of its vulnerability to tarnishing, sterling silver
needs special care.
Oxygen -- which produces tarnish -- is silver's worst enemy, so
always tuck away your silver jewelry pieces in places like
drawers, plastic bags or velvet pouches instead of leaving them
out in the open. To add extra protection, put paper anti-tarnish
strips -- available at many jewelry stores -- inside the
containers.
Usually, wiping well-kept silver with a jewelry cloth will
suffice for maintenance, unless tarnish already has appeared. If
you want to clean the jewelry further, use a solution
specifically made for silver. Do not use silver cleaning
solutions on other jewelry -- they can damage other types of
metals and gemstones. A thick, homemade paste -- made out of
baking soda and a few drops of water -- also can clean silver
well. Rinse and dry the piece after using the paste.
Pearls are among the most delicate jewels and require special
care. Wipe pearls off with a damp soft cloth after each wearing
because sweat, body oil and cosmetic products can erode the
pearls. Keep your pearls away from hard or sharp jewelry items
that could scratch them. Pearls are best stored in a soft cloth
pouch, or a separately lined segment of a jewelry box.
If you use an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner, don't use it for
porous and fragile turquoise, for pearls or other organic
materials, which can be damaged by the device.
Store your jewelry carefully; don't just toss it in a jewelry
box. The silver, gemstones and other materials can get
scratched, especially if they are softer gemstones. Wrap pieces
individually in tissue paper or velvet, or arrange them
carefully in a jewelry box so that they do not touch each other.
When getting dressed, try to apply perfumes and hair sprays and
let them dry before putting on your jewelry, so that it doesn't
develop a residue; this especially applies to pearls. Also, make
sure all body lotion has absorbed into the skin before putting
on jewelry.
Do not wear your jewelry -- particularly rings or bracelets --
while doing any household cleaning, gardening, or other dirty
work. Over time, the household soaps can cause stress and
fatigue in the metals.
Our jewelry is a piece of art, if it is well looked after, its
beauty will be enhanced with age.
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