How to Care for Your Handmade Jewelry

You know that unique piece of jewelry everyone asks you about? Like that fun charm bracelet you love wearing? You want that special handmade jewelry to last — especially when you’ve found an artisan who created something you love and you’ve invested time and money in choosing it. Good care is the secret, and through proper storage, cleaning, and wearing your jewelry appropriately, you’ll increase your favorite piece’s life span.  

Know How to Store Your Handmade Jewelry

Your handcrafted jewelry requires care, but the TLC it needs won’t ask much of a commitment from you. You want to consider how the artist made it and the type of jewelry it is.

With a little planning and thoughtfulness, your pieces can last a lifetime, so: 

• Consider the stones and materials in your jewelry
• Store all pieces separately
• Keep handcrafted jewelry in a clean, dry place

Know What Stones and Materials Your Handmade Jewelry Contains

It’s important to understand the types of materials that make up your jewelry. For example, certain gems are more delicate than others: hard stones are less likely to get scratched and can damage softer ones. The Mohs Hardness Scale shows how resistant a stone is to scratching, with diamonds at the top with a 10 rating. If your stone scores lower, it will be more likely to sustain damage. 

Jewelry made from non-traditional material such as textiles, wires, and recycled plastics also require special care. Woven and fabric pieces can stretch and pull. Wire jewelry may bend. Plastics are easily gouged or broken. Knowing what your jewelry is made of will help you care for it.

Never Store Your Handmade Jewelry Pieces Together

When you toss all your handcrafted jewelry in one jewelry box, you can scratch beads, gemstones, and even metal. It is better to place your items in individual pouches or boxes. This protects your jewelry from damage and also prevents fading since the pieces aren’t exposed to sunlight.

Some jewelry benefits from special storage, for example, necklaces and pendants and bracelets keep their shape better when they remain flat. You don’t want to stretch or bend the pieces. This is especially important for designs that contain wirework, which is often delicate and prone to becoming misshapen. 

Metals also do better when you store them by kind, which limits reactions that could lead to tarnishing. Brass, copper, and sterling silver, for example, all may tarnish. Storing them separately in resealable plastic bags with anti-tarnish paper strips, or in tarnish-retardant pouches, helps them retain their beautiful sheen.

Keep Your Handcrafted Jewelry in an Appropriate Place

Handmade jewelry likes a certain environment: someplace cool and dry. Your handmade pieces prefer a space without extreme temperatures or direct sunlight. Jewelry is also best kept in an airtight container.

Think about the space you have in your home and look for something that can offer those conditions. Jewelry organizers will keep your collection safe and protected. Such units can be put in drawers or wall-mounted (good for keeping necklaces untangled).

How to Clean Your Handmade Jewelry:

• Pay attention to the materials in your handmade jewelry
• Clean most pieces with mild dish soap and a soft cloth
• Regularly clean jewelry 
• Remove tarnish 

Understand Materials Before Cleaning Handmade Jewelry

You should always consider the materials before refreshing your jewelry. For example, metal jewelry can become scratched if cleaned with anything abrasive. So avoid the scouring pad or steel wool; instead use a soft cloth for polishing every few months.

If you are dealing with stones, be aware that some are soft or porous, which means something as simple as water can cause damage if the proper care isn’t taken. The emerald, for example, with a 7.5 to 8 Mohs Scale rating, contains natural inclusions or internal flaws and is brittle despite its high grade.

In general, avoid soaking any jewelry in water for long periods. You’ll leave a residue that dulls them. Plus, metal pieces are subject to tarnishing. Water exposure quickens chemical reactions — and corrosion.

Use Dish Soap to Clean Your Handcrafted Jewelry

Most handmade jewelry shines nicely with just a bit of mild dish soap and warm water. This works well with most materials, especially string and plastic. Certain stones don’t take kindly to water and should be professionally cleaned. Gently wash the item, and rinse all the soapy water off before drying your jewelry with a soft cloth.

Avoid abrasive cleaners. Despite everything you read, toothpaste does not work well as a cleaning agent. Even some popular DIY ingredients like vinegar contain acid and can corrode elements such as stainless steel.

Clean Handmade Jewelry Regularly

Dirt and grime are inevitable. Even if you are careful and put your jewelry on after skincare and hair are finished, remnants of products can touch your pieces. Your skin’s oil and the dust in the environment may settle on your jewelry.

That’s why a good cleaning helps preserve your treasures. It removes all the elements that can damage them. You’ll want to clean jewelry every few months and more often for items you wear regularly. Don’t forget to make sure the piece is dry before storing it, especially with silver jewelry, which is prone to tarnishing when exposed to humidity.

How to Clean Tarnish Off of Handmade Jewelry

Over time, jewelry can tarnish, making it look discolored even if stored properly. This happens because the metal reacts with other substances — such as oil, air, acid, and sweat. There are a multitude of remedies if this happens.

Depending on the type of metal, stones, and other adornments on the jewelry, you can use dish soap, an ammonia-free commercial cleaner, or a DIY remedy to remove tarnish. For example, a mixture of hot water and baking soda can transfer tarnish to aluminum foil via a non-abrasive electrolytic action.

7 Dos and Don’ts to Keep Handmade Jewelry in Top Shape

Dos: 

Replace old earring fittings and retip ring prongs: Earring fittings can loosen over time. Make sure you replace older ones as they wear out, and check the fit regularly so the piece stays in place. Rings also are prone to such wear and tear, with prongs needing retipping every six to 10 years. Wear Ever Jewelry can repair your jewelry and keep it in good condition.

Check clasps on necklaces and stone settings on rings: Both of these can break easily. Ensure you don’t lose loved items by periodically examining them. 

Take extra care of antique jewelry: Antique jewelry needs more care. That ring your grandmother gave you is older and can become more fragile over time. Ensure that you can pass these heirlooms on to the next generation by having them professionally cleaned and checked. 

Put your pearls on last: Pearls are delicate and easily damaged so don’t expose them to your hairspray, bronzer, or skin routine. This gemstone also is high maintenance; the string holding your strand together can stretch, and too much moisture can hurt the pearls.

Don’ts:

Sleep with your jewelry on: Jewelry gets jostled constantly, with links, prongs, and clasps getting pulled and weakened. It is essential to remove all jewelry before bedtime so it stays in optimal condition. Sleeping with your jewelry puts unnecessary strain on it and can distort its shape — bending the band on rings or pulling links loose from your favorite necklace if the pieces snag on your linens when you turn in bed.

Use harsh chemicals: While cleaning jewelry is important, you should avoid harsh chemicals. You should also remove jewelry before showering since hair and body products can build up on it, causing the piece to lose its sparkle. 

Wear jewelry when swimming and exercising: Recreational activities provide fun but aren’t good for your jewelry. Chlorine, for example, erodes metal, even 14k or 18k gold. Exercise is important for your wellness, but equipment can smash into things like a ring’s shank and damage it — plus any activity in which you sweat can cause you to lose your jewelry when it slides off … onto the road, into the water, or wherever it inconveniently chooses to land.