Pearls are a chemical
and organic gem that require a more specialized care and they
should be cleaned delicately than most other gem materials.
They deteriorate in contact with chemicals like household cleaners, perfumes,
cosmetics, and hair care products of all kinds. They
can be highly sensitive to the rough or abrasive surfaces and chemicals that
are used to clean other jewels. Cultural pearls with thicker coatings, too, are
much more fragile than other gemstones. The surface of a pearl is soft and can be easily damaged.
Pearls set in rings and bracelets are subject to more cuffing and scratching
than pearls set in brooches, earrings, necklaces or strands. Therefore, it is extremely important
to clean pearls with utmost care.
Read more to know how to take care of your pearls and make
them look like ‘just bought’!
Main Care tips:
Never clean pearls in
an ultrasonic cleaner. Never use detergent or bleaches or baking soda or
ammonia based products. Do not keep pearls near heaters or in places that get
strong sunlight. Do not use any abrasive materials to clean the pearls. Take
your pearls off when applying cosmetics and perfumes.
Cleaning
Tips:
Use warm water: Soak a cotton
cloth in warm water and use it to wipe your pearls, softly. Cleaning pearl
jewelry with warm water will give it shine and make it appear almost brand new.
Use a mild shampoo: Mix
any kind of mild shampoo in warm water to clean your pearls. Place the bag into the mixture and gently rub the pearls. Remember, do not put too
much stress on the bag while rubbing it, as you may end up rubbing the pearls
against each other.
Storage
Pearl strands are
stored separately from other jewelry because of the pearl's soft surface which
can be easily scratched by other gems. Silk bags, velvet-lined box, pearl
folder (a satin-lined leatherette envelope with snaps to hold a strand in
place) are good places to store pearls. Never store pearls in a plastic bag as
some types of plastics emit a chemical that can cause the surface of the pearls
to deteriorate.
