Thursday, August 15, 2013

How To Clean Costume Jewellery

By Anita Hale


You're probably proud of your jewellery. In that case you'll want to know the best practice for cleaning it. This will guarantee it continues to be as dazzling as the day it was bought. Read on for some hints and tips on how to take good care of your rings, necklaces and bracelets.

To begin with, practically all jewellery will suffer from scuffing. This is just something that happens over time. Having said that, it's still possible to substantially reduce this wear and tear. You can do this by restricting where and when you choose to wear your jewellery. For example, don't forget to detach bracelets, necklaces and rings prior to bedtime. Sweat may also contribute to discoloration of many metals. This is why you should take off accessories when working out or playing sport. Other chemicals to watch out for include those found in perfume, nail polish remover and hairspray. So be careful when using these around your jewellery.

You might have some pieces of jewellery made from oxidised metal. This type of metal has become quite popular in jewellery making. It has undergone a special process to create a black look to the metal. You must take special care with oxidised metal to preserve this darkened appearance. Never where oxidised metal jewellery in swimming pools. Chlorine will cause a lot of damage to this metal as well as to silver and gold. You shouldn't ever use silver polish on oxidised metal or pearls either.

Most jewellery hasn't been made with oxidised metal. In this case proper care must be taken to prevent oxidation from taking effect. Oxidation generates tarnishing and discolouration of metal. Salad dressings, synthetic detergents and even specific categories of rubber can include sulphur compounds. These chemicals can tarnish silver jewellery if they make contact.

You can strip away tarnish by cleaning your jewellery with silver polishing liquid. But this needs to be applied sparingly. Some silver polishing fluids are very abrasive and can do more harm than good. If you are just concerned with day-to-day cleaning than a silver polishing cloth is more than adequate. You can also use soapy water and a toothbrush to remove dirt from your jewellery.

Lastly, it's worth mentioning that pure metals are much softer than their cheaper counterparts. This also makes them more susceptible to marking and other types of damage. A 14 carat gold ring will be softer than one made from gold plate. This is because cheaper metals are mixed with alloys which make them harder. It is recommended never to wear jewellery made from soft metal next to pieces made from harder metal. If you follow this advice you will reduce the likelihood of your expensive jewellery getting scratched.




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