How To Clean Pearl Jewellery

How to Clean Pearl Jewellery

 

 Pearls are as durable as they are beautiful, but they do require cleaning now and then to preserve their luster. Pearls are easy to scratch, despite their hard shell, and everyday contact with the oils in your skin can cause them to deteriorate over time.

 Cleaning pearl jewellery is simple, though. Here’s how to preserve your precious pearls:

To clean a pearl necklace, lightly wipe each pearl with a soft, clean cloth moistened with a solution made from one cup of lukewarm water mixed with a quarter teaspoon of mild, unscented dishwashing liquid. Use only enough solution to dampen the cloth. Be sure not to place any pressure on the strand as you wipe the pearls, or pull on the string at all – soaking the strand can cause the string to stretch. (Never use a toothbrush or anything abrasive to clean pearls.)
If your pearls have a metal clasp, carefully clean this with a cotton swab dipped in commercial metal polish or a diluted vinegar and water solution. Do not allow this to come into contact with the pearls.
Repeat the wiping process on the individual pearls, using plain water on your cloth this time, to remove any leftover solution.
Let the pearls air-dry overnight on a paper towel or cloth. And that’s it!

What about costume jewellery pearls? You can clean them the same way – using a very mild solution, wipe them gently with a soft cloth and air-dry overnight. You should clean the metal parts separately, using the tips we posted last week on cleaning costume jewellery.