Allen Brown

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Your Guide to Cleaning Handmade Jewellery

We all want to cherish our sentimental jewellery items forever, but his cannot happen without appropriate care. To preserve handmade jewellery, you need to consider the cleaning requirements for different types of metals. This includes using suitable cleaning products that are not too abrasive or can damage the design.

With a lot to consider, here we offer a short guide to cleaning handmade jewellery:

Cleaning Handmade Jewellery

Storing Jewellery

Purchasing a quality jewellery box can do a lot for the condition of your jewellery and finding a design that provides multiple sections to separate your jewellery can help to avoid scratching.

Pearls should always be stored in a lined box or pouch made of silk or cloth. Never store them in plastic bags!

Avoiding Damage

During garden and household chores, remember to remove your jewellery. This will prevent scratching, and reduce the risk of gems being knocked out of place or exposed to harsh chemicals.

To further avoid damage or tarnishing, remove your jewellery when in contact with water and cosmetics, including:

  • Perfume
  • Aftershave
  • Nail varnish remover
  • Medication
  • Hairspray
  • Bathwater
  • Swimming pools
  • Soapy water

Caring for Different Metals

Silver jewellery will look it’s best when worn. The more you wear silver jewellery, the less it will tarnish due to oxidising with the air.

Yellow and rose gold can easily be dulled when in contact with soap. However, this can be amended by using a specialised jewellery spray and soft cloth for polishing.

To protect your jewellery collection from the harness of stainless steel, store it separately. For stubborn dirt, polish stainless steel with a soft cloth and a mild detergent. To remove stubborn dirt, try polishing with toothpaste instead of a detergent.

General Cleaning

To keep gold and silver jewellery shining, use a soft jewellery polishing cloth gently against the metal’s grain. To revive gems, use a soft brush and soapy water for tame cleaning and a lint-free cloth for drying. This will help to wipe away any abrasive chemicals that may have latched onto your jewellery throughout the day.

Buying Handmade Jewellery

At Allen Brown Jewellery we offer a beautiful range of jewellery collections and commission pieces. If you are ever unsure on how to care for your handmade jewellery, ask a member of our team who will be happy to help. To shop our collections, visit our Lichfield store at the Heart of the Country Village.