| If you find that your pearls and a few gems are | | | | Be careful when using commercial cleaners |
| scratched and your silver is tarnished; it may be | | | | because they may damage your jewelry when |
| that you are not storing and cleaning your jewelry | | | | used improperly. An example of a commercial |
| properly. Cleaning and Storing of Jewelry doesn't | | | | cleaner is an ultrasonic cleaner. Don't use an |
| have to be so hard nor does it have to be | | | | ultrasonic cleaner on the following stones: Emerald, |
| expensive. Jewelry can be stored properly using | | | | Peridot, Tanzanite, Topaz, and Opals. When using |
| cheap readily available materials and cleaning can | | | | ultrasonic cleaners, don't soak jewelry for more |
| be achieved with the use of ordinary household | | | | than a few minutes. |
| cleaners. Here are a few tips that you might find | | | | Storing: |
| handy when cleaning and storing valuables. | | | | Gems and precious stones have different |
| Cleaning: | | | | gradients of hardness. Stones are on the top of |
| Toothpastes and dish soaps are best left for use | | | | the list. They are very hard to scratch but they |
| on the kitchen sink. It is not advisable to use | | | | can scratch other items. Diamonds are the |
| these products when cleaning jewelry as they | | | | hardest, below them are sapphire, rubies, etc. at |
| may be abrasive and cause stones to loose their | | | | the lower end of the list you will find pearls and |
| luster. It is then advised that you use a sudsy | | | | metals like gold, platinum and silver. With that in |
| solution when cleaning jewelry. | | | | mind, it is wise to store jewelry separately or at |
| Soak jewelry in warm sudsy water for at least | | | | least in individual containers or pouches. |
| an hour before rinsing them under warm running | | | | Velvet, cotton and felt are great for storing |
| water. After the jewelry has been rinsed. Pat | | | | delicate stones like pearls. These materials are |
| them dry with a towel or another absorbent | | | | easily available in fabric stores. Swatches can be |
| fabric. | | | | cut from the fabric and made to wrap around |
| Most of the time, running jewelry under water is | | | | delicate jewelry. They can even be made into |
| enough to get them clean but there are those | | | | pouches making them easier to use. |
| that are studded. Grime and grease gets into the | | | | It is not advisable to cram jewelry into one box. |
| nooks and crannies. For these stubborn dirt you | | | | This may result in scratching and chipping. |
| can use and eyebrow brush or a soft baby's | | | | Maintenance: |
| brush to gently clean it. | | | | Keep your jewelry in tip top shape. Look out for |
| To remove greasy residues on diamonds soak | | | | loose stones and take them to your jeweler to |
| them in alcohol a few minutes before running | | | | have the settings reinforced. |
| them under water. Don't use alcohol on all your | | | | Have pearls restrung when the strings start to |
| jewelry because most of them are not as hard | | | | fray. Don't wait till the last minute or you might |
| as diamonds and may be damaged when they | | | | end up loosing all your pearls. |
| come in contact with it. | | | | |