What’s the point of bling that’s lost its shine? This blog will teach you to clean your jewellery so it’s always eye-catching and bright.
Clean Gemstones Shine Clearer
Gemstones have the magical ability to refract light. This refers to how the gemstone bends the light in different directions giving stones their radiance. Dirty stones have a layer of grime covering their bottom which stops the refraction, making the stones appear dull and milky.
Because we specialise in colourful jewellery featuring colourful gems, we know first-hand how important it is to keep jewellery clean and bright.
What You’ll Need
- An old toothbrush
- A wooden toothpick
- A soft cloth
- Janine Binneman jewellery cleaning solution
How to Clean Jewellery at Home
Our jewellery cleaner is extremely effective and only requires a quick dip. If you’ve got stubborn dirt on your jewellery, you may want to brush it gently with an old toothbrush or use a wooden toothpick to remove it.
If you don’t have a cleaning solution, you can use lukewarm water with a drop of dish soap to clean your jewellery. But you’ll need to brush it gently but thoroughly to get it clean.
Rinse the jewellery in a bowl of cold water and dry it with a soft cloth.
How to clean Pearl, Opal, and Emerald Jewellery
Harsh chemicals can irrevocably damage gems so our rule of thumb is to avoid rather than risk it.
We have a specially formulated gentle cleaner perfect for all fragile gemstones like pearls, opals, and emeralds. These stones are porous and absorb what is directly in their environment including liquids, perfume, and hairspray.
When storing opals, pop a moist piece of cotton wool into a zip lock bag with them. Opals can dry out because they are porous. Adding moisture to their environment keeps them healthy so they retain their opalescence.
Jewellery Care Tips
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Never soak your jewellery.
I often see pieces with lost stones because of broken claws. These are “eaten” away by chemicals that penetrate the surface of the metal, compromising its strength and durability.
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Rinse thoroughly in clean water.
This ensures that all of the chemicals and dirt have been properly removed and that no discolouration takes place. It also prevents chemicals from getting onto your skin when you wear the jewellery.
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Dry the jewellery completely every time.
Not only does wet jewellery tarnish faster but also, air drying can lead to unattractive streaks. A gentle rub with a soft cloth will ensure that the jewellery is dry and will give it an extra bit of shine.
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Check your stone settings annually.
Gemstones are held in place by metal that wears thin over time. The constant friction over clothes, exposure to chemicals and acid perspiration all add to this. Check your stone settings annually. Claws can be retipped and stone settings can be tightened.
How to Store Your Jewellery
How you store your jewellery is as important as keeping it clean.
We recommend storing jewellery separately so it doesn’t touch. Not only will this stop your chains from getting tangled (because we’ve all been there), but it will also keep your jewellery shinier for longer. Use a dark and dry fabric-lined jewellery box and store silver jewellery separately from other metals.
Another tip is to add a sachet of silica gel to your jewellery box. This will slow down the oxidation process which reduces tarnishing.
It’s Shine Time!
That’s everything you need to know to restore and maintain the shine in your favourite jewellery pieces. If you need a visual of how to clean your jewellery, the video below walks you through the whole process.
