Jewelry Cleaning In The Time Of Covid

As Covid19 has disrupted most of what surrounds us, we have all had to learn to adapt to what is now our "new normal". With that comes a lot of hand washing and hand sanitizing, but what does that really do to the rings and bracelets we wear? We have some tips on how to keep yourself safe while keeping your jewels bright and sparkling.

Remove All Jewelry Before Washing Your Hands

Sounds like common sense but so many people fail to do the basic first step. When you wash your hands (for more than 20 seconds please) the chemical composition of soap can dull the sparkle of your jewelry. Regardless of the type, these household cleaners are not forgiving on metals, diamonds, and gemstones. Another equally important reason for removing your jewels is to ensure that you're washing all parts of your hands, including under the bands of your rings and in between stacked styles.

Using Hand Sanitizer? Make Sure It's Alcohol Based

With the onset of CoronaVirus, we have all learned about the right and wrong kind of hand sanitizers. Recently, the CDC & FDA put out a list of products consumers shouldn't use. (Crazy but true. You can find it HERE.) 

When selecting a hand-sanitizer, choose one that's alcohol-based. Avoid brands that use chlorine or methanol as a key ingredient. Not only do those ingredients cause harm to your health, they can also harm your jewelry. For pearl or coral jewelry, hand sanitizer should be completely avoided as the chemicals can permanently damage their luster and color all together. Yikes!

Make It A Habit To Clean

If you clean your face, clean your hands, clean your house, and clean your clothes, you can definitely be cleaning your jewels on a more consistent basis too. The easiest way to do this is to soak your jewels in a mix of warm water and a non abrasive dish soap. With a soft brush, get into those nooks and crannies to remove any dirt from the band, the setting, or the stones. When you're done, rinse with cold water and towel dry. It's pretty simple, but cleaning jewelry can sometimes feel like a chore. To make it even easier on yourself, we can provide a cleaning kit that has everything you need to keep that diamond shining bright.