Ahhhhhhh…you buy the jewelry because it’s so fabulously sparkly and shiny! You wear it, you admire it in the mirror, you sneak peeks at it in those little halogen lights in the elevators, in the sunlight… Then one day, the sparkle is gone. 
Don’t dispair! Help is on the way! I’ve cleaned hundreds, nay, thousands of pieces of jewelry over the years - especially handmade jewelry. Some pieces are so incredibly delicate that rubbing with a jewelry cleaning cloth would bend or distort them. Others have stones that are not meant to be immersed in a hard cleaning solution.
Throughout the years, I’ve developed an easy, inexpensive and environmentally-friendly way to clean my jewelry. I even make it part of my morning routine before work, ensuring that the handmade custom jewelry I make is shown off to perfection! This applies to all kinds of jewelry – sterling silver jewelry, gold jewelry, platinum jewelry, goldfill jewelry, gemstone-filled jewelry and more.
Jewelry Cleaning Instructions:
1. Plug sink drain. This is very important - you don’t want to lose those cute earrings, do you? For extra measure, close the bathroom toilet lid if you’re doing this in the bathroom.
2. Turn on hot water until it runs fairly hot yet comfortable enough to run your hands under.
3. Take some gentle handsoap and lather up one of your hands.
4. Gently rub the jewelry into the lathered-up hand.
5. Rinse with hot water and gently place onto terry cloth face cloth. Allow to air-dry.
This keeps all of my jewelry pieces sparkling with the need for harsh and toxic chemicals. I will occasionally use a soft toothbrush on some stones, taking care not to loosen any settings. If the silver or goldfill jewelry is still a bit dark after this washing, take a soft polishing cloth such as the Sunshine Cloth and polish the metal parts of your jewelry in a gentle manner. Romeo & Jewels includes a Sunshine Cloth in every order over $75.
Just a quick caveat: not all gemstones are created equal and you’ll want to keep some out of the water. For example, you may not want to immerse any jewelry knotted with silk or other thread into water. It will weaken the thread, and your necklace will eventually fray and break.
As well, pearls, coral, turquoise, lapis lazuli, opal and amber are porous gemstones and should only be wiped off briefly with a damp cloth and allowed to air-dry. Make sure to wipe these clean after each wearing.
To keep your jewelry from needing a deep cleaning, make sure it’s the last thing you add to your outfit after using perfume and hairspray. Also take it off before swimming, gardening and housecleaning. Lastly, keep it in the little air-tight plastic jewelry baggie in between wearings – which will ensure it stays clean and bright!
All of my Romeo & Jewels handmade jewelry is created with your busy lifestyle in mind. I create a prototype of all of my pieces and wear it to ensure that it will be comfortable, attractive, strong and durable. As well, I take into account the wear the piece will get, and ensure that I only sell handcrafted jewelry that stand the test of time – because I know that it’s so beautiful you’ll want to wear it every day. View more of my handmade jewelry.
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