AVOID CONTACT WITH CLEANING CHEMICALS & AGENTS
It’s tempting to just go on Amazon and buy a cleaning kit that comes with jewelry spray, however I like to avoid doing so. Without knowing what’s in these sprays, it can do more harm than good. Truthfully, to properly clean even more expensive jewelry, all you need is a few drops of detergent free soap mixed with a bit of warm water. You can then soak and clean your jewelry with a soft brush. Finally, use a soft jewelry cloth to completely dry.
APPLY COSMETICS & CREAMS BEFORE PUTTING ON YOUR JEWELRY
This kind of goes in hand with the above, but it bears emphasizing. It’s always best to put on any creams or cosmetics BEFORE you put on jewelry. For many people, creams and lotions are often the last step in their routine. However, when it comes to jewelry, whether high end or fashion, chemicals are a big NO NO. Continuous exposure to the chemicals in cosmetics can cause discoloration and over time, even damage your precious pieces of jewelry.
TAKE OFF ALL JEWELRY BEFORE WORKING OUT
Long gone are the days where old sweats and t shirts would be all we needed for the gym. These days, work out fashion is king. However, as tempting as it may be, wearing jewelry during your workout can be a no go for several reasons. For one, jewelry can easily snag on equipment during workouts… OUCH! Also, sweat and certain metals simply don’t like each other.
While you may be okay with more expensive pieces using plated gold or sterling silver, over time, sweat can corrode at these soft metals. For jewelry pieces made of brass or copper, they are even more vulnerable to erosion due to sweat. It’s also best to avoid activities like swimming and showering to best protect them and your skin from turning colors.
PUT YOUR JEWELRY ON AFTER CHANGING CLOTHES
I don’t know about you, but I have lost a few pieces of jewelry – not to horrible wind or some terrible fall down the drain accident – but by simply changing my clothes. To those magicians out there who can put on or take of an outfit WITHOUT snagging their jewelry, my hat is off to you. For everyone else, I recommend you take off your jewelry before styling hair or changing clothes. Snags happen and while it doesn’t seem like much, continuously snagging your jewelry can wear it down over time without you even realizing it.
