Maintaining and Sustaining: How to care for and clean your jewelry

February 3, 2023

Disclaimer: This problem has plagued earthlings since we discovered metals, with that in mind, this is not a cure-all, but tried and true suggestions on taking care of your pieces.

Introduction

All jewelry tarnishes, with the exception of gold. It is the nature of metal on our planet. Tarnishing occurs when your jewelry is exposed to naturally occurring chemicals, either in the air or on your skin. Metals tarnish much quicker in humid environments as excess moisture in the air leads to a dulling of your metals. The secret to combatting tarnish is in how you clean and store your jewelry.

Storing your Jewelry

How you store your jewelry is exceptionally important. Because moisture is such a fast working agent on metals, it is best to keep your pieces in a clean, dry, and dark area. To go the extra mile, keep your bobbles in a bag, we suggest felt or an old plastic bad to which you can throw in an anti-tarnish strip. We recommend looking to Rio Grande for your jewelry needs, the links to products and tutorials can be found at the bottom of this post.

Cleaning your Jewelry

These are our eco-friendly and easy solutions to clean your jewelry. Staying away from chemicals keeps your family, animals, and our earth happier, healthier, and cleaner.

A polishing cloth and patience can clean anything.

For a deep clean, hot water, Dawn dish soap, and an old, soft-bristled toothbrush cleans naturally occurring build-ups from your jewelry.

Minor tarnishing can be solved by mixing one tablespoon of baking soda and one cup of boiling or hot water and pouring it into a glass bowl lined with aluminum foil. Let it soak for 5 to 10 minutes.

We found the most successful cleanings were done with ketchup! With a small amount of ketchup and an old, soft-bristled toothbrush, cleaning pieces is simple and effective, thoroughly cleaning the surface and leaving you with sparkling results.

A final, finishing step is Renaissance Wax. While it does have to be reapplied every 6 months, Renaissance Wax helps protect the surface from oxidization. Used by the British Museum and restoration specialists internationally, Renaissance Wax is highly regarded and safe to wear on skin.