How To Maintain The Shine of Your Beads Jewelry

Precious and semi-precious beads might appear to be solid rocks and unbreakable, but they are not immune to all the exposures. Beaded jewelry needs its cleaning regularly to maintain its shine and polish. While some lukewarm water, a soft brush, and detergent are enough to clean all kinds of beads, there might be some exceptions and specifications you need to keep in mind. So before you start cleaning your precious beaded jewelry, here are all the things you must take note of:

1. Know Your Beads

Even though precious beads are tough physically, they might get damaged by various chemicals and sudden temperature changes. So before you start cleaning your beads, know which ones can safely be cleaned by the chemicals you’re using. For example, if you’re using an acidic liquid like lemon juice or vinegar to clean your beads, you’d have to exclude Sapphire from the lot. Sapphire might have cracks and fractures which if come in contact with acid, will cause harm to the bead. 

2. Don’t Be Harsh

When it comes to cleaning your beads, the key is to stay soft with everything. The water needs to be lukewarm, chemicals should be minimal, and brushes soft. When you’re done washing the jewelry use a lint-free, soft cloth to carefully dry it. Try not to use an ultrasonic cleaner unless recommended by a jeweler. Ultrasonic cleaners can cause severe damage to various beads and should thus not be used if you’re unsure about it. 

3. Take Note of these Specifics

Here is how you should take care of your precious beads and jewelry:

i. Sapphire and Ruby: Avoid using any acidic chemical or liquid when you’re cleaning Sapphire or Ruby as it may cause damage to the crevices in the gem. Only use lukewarm water mixed with liquid soap to clean the beads and dry them with a soft cloth in the end for the best results.

ii. Emerald: This precious stone is very sensitive with temperatures and chemicals. Don’t use steam cleaning and keep them away from hot temperatures. The best way to clean them and bring their shine back is to use water at room temperature and soap combined. 

iii. Tourmaline: Tourmaline is sensitive to heat but not to chemicals. High temperatures can dull its colors and affect its surface. The best way to clean it is in lukewarm soap solution. 

iv. Amethyst: Using chemicals or extreme temperatures to clean this stone is a complete no-no. You can use lukewarm soap solution to clean it and dry it with a soft cloth. If needed, use a super soft toothbrush to gently brush away any dirt.

v. Opal: Clean this precious stone with a mild detergent and lukewarm water. Although, you must avoid soaking the stone in this solution. Just use it to wash away the dirt and gently scrub with a super soft toothbrush.

4. Caring for your Beads

There are a lot of things you can do to prevent your beads from getting dirty in your day-to-day life. For starters, you must protect your beaded jewelry from sunlight and heat. This will help your beads stay consistent in colors and durable. You must also keep your beads away from all sorts of chemicals. This not just includes the harsh acids, but also the everyday perfumes, lotions and oils. And lastly, always keep your beads and beaded jewelry in a safe and padded jewelry box to avoid them coming in contact with chemicals and to limit their movement, thus causing fewer scratches.