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How To Properly Clean Your Vintage Jewellery

Vintage jewellery epitomises history, character and sophistication, which is why so many people value it so highly. If you are lucky enough to have your own piece or collection, you need to make sure you are looking after it properly to maximise the potential longevity. Here is a simple guide on how to properly clean your vintage jewellery in order to keep it clean whilst preventing any damage.

Make A Gentle Solution For Cleaning

You can buy cleaning solutions from jewellery experts, although they are often overpriced and you can make something just as good yourself. The best thing you can do is mix together luke warm water with a small amount of gentle soap. This will help to give your vintage jewellery a new lease of life without causing any damage.

Start Cleaning

Once your solution is ready, it is time to start cleaning. Although it is okay to soak the jewellery for a couple of minutes, you shouldn’t leave it for any longer. If your jewellery is made up of any soft stones, don’t soak it at all.

Start by using a very soft brush to gently use circular motions to remove any grime. Don’t put much pressure on the jewellery at all to prevent any damage. Repeat this process until the desired effect is achieved. Make sure you are patient and gentle or you risk harming your precious jewellery. Thoroughly rinse your jewellery to remove any soap residue and pat dry.

Leave To Dry

After rinsing, you need to leave your jewellery to dry fully before putting it away. If you have somewhere you can safely hang the jewellery that would be ideal, otherwise leave it on a surface and regularly dry the area to make sure the jewellery isn’t sitting in a puddle or any dampness.

Once your jewellery is completely dry, you can take a polishing cloth and very lightly buff any metal elements, whilst avoiding the stones.

Maintenance

You should aim to clean your vintage jewellery around once a month to keep it looking its best. In order to keep it in the best possible condition, you should avoid wearing vintage jewellery during any strenuous activity, when doing sports, when using any cleaning products and also when you’re in the shower. You should also put your jewellery on after you have applied any creams or perfumes and they have soaked in. Be particularly careful with items you wear everyday like vintage engagement rings, as these are likely to endure the most damage.

Also, you need to be careful about how you store your vintage jewellery. You need to avoid keeping the jewellery anywhere that is too hot or cold. You should also avoid storing it near any source of moisture or heat! This will help to keep it looking its absolute best.

Summary

Looking after your vintage jewellery properly will help it to last for decades if not centuries to come. Be careful when you are cleaning the jewellery, make sure it is properly dry before putting it away and store it carefully. Your precious vintage jewellery deserves the best care possible!