Hi Plummies!
It's occurred to me that I have a lot of customers asking me how to look after their jewellery once it is purchased, so I thought I would share few tips and tricks with you.
Enamel jewellery is essentially glass powder that is applied to metal and then fused to it using heat, if looked after carefully it can last a lifetime, however, if you're not careful with how you wear it, it can crack with abrasion and age. So here are a few ways to look after it:-
- Clean it with lukewarm water and a soft cloth and a hand soap, house hold cleaners will eventually damage the glass and is not recommended.
- Place your jewellery on a soft surface or cloth, preferably somewhere safe like a jewellery box so as to prevent the risk of it being knocked onto a hard floor or surface.
- Rings and bracelets or bangles take on a lot of wear and tear and can easily bang onto surfaces, causing the enamel to break and erode, so be extra careful with them to ensure they last.
Tips For Cleaning Silver
- Use a jewellery cloth gently rubbing it over the piece until it buffs the silver to a high shine.
- Mix baking soda with white wine vinegar in a bowl and carefully place your silver jewellery in it for about an hour. Then wash it in clean water and dry thoroughly with a clean, dry cloth.
- Store your jewellery in anti tarnish bags
- Soap can build up on jewellery, especially rings and intricate designs, so using a soft toothbrush with water is a great way to get into difficult to reach areas
Tips for Cleaning Copper
- Use white wine vinegar and soda in a bowl and soak your copper jewellery for about 30 mins. Rinse in clean water and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth.
- Lemon juice and baking soda works the same way but the copper will need a longer soak, preferably overnight.
- There are plenty of commercial copper cleaners on the market that make easy work of copper, they are easily found in hardware stores nationwide.