How To Properly Clean And Maintain Your Bracelets

Bracelets are a staple of any jewelry collection among men and women. And to keep your bracelet looking its best, it’s essential to know how to care for them by cleaning and maintaining it properly. With that, this article outlines a guide on how you can clean different types of bracelets in the comfort of your home.

Gemstone Bracelets

Bracelets with gems are generally easy and low-maintenance to clean, as long as you use the correct cleaning tools. To start, use a soft-bristled brush to scrub hard gems gently, as stiff bristles can knock the rock out of its setting and may scratch the silver or gold in which it is set.

You can use standard dish detergent and warm water to clean jewelry with gemstones like a tennis bracelet. However, don’t soak the rocks and instead brush them lightly with soapy water. Finish it by wiping your bracelet with a damp cloth. If you have tough dirt to clean, you can use a quarter of a cup of warm water, detergent, and a tablespoon of baking soda. Mix it until it forms a paste, and use a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove grime and grease from your gemstone. This technique is also great for cleaning jewelry with diamonds.

Moreover, when using commercial cleaners, it's essential to check the chemicals present in the solution. Note that some gemstones may be sensitive to strong chemicals. For instance, hydrofluoric acid can damage gems such as aquamarine, tanzanite, and garnet. A tip to keep in mind is before using any chemical-based product, check first how your bracelet will react to such solutions.

Gold Bracelets

Maintaining your gold bracelets is also not that complicated. You can take another soft cloth or towel and wipe down the entire surface of the bracelet with a small amount of dish soap and warm water. Make sure you get between all of the links and in and around any engravings on the outside of the band. Then rinse any residue with cool water and dry thoroughly with another soft cloth or towel.

After drying your bracelet, it's time for you to know how to keep it looking clean and new. Among the simplest things you can do is ensure your gold bracelet is away and not in contact with anything with chlorine. Note that the chlorine in pools and hot tubs can cause discoloration to your gold jewelry. As much as possible, avoid wearing your gold bracelet when swimming on the beach, as salt water can also damage it.

Silver Bracelets

Silver bracelets are one of the classic jewelry pieces that anyone can sport regardless of the outfit they’re wearing. And since you can wear it daily, it’s likely to tarnish over time. To help prevent this, one of the easiest ways to clean it is by using soap and water. 

For stubborn stains or perhaps a darkened chain, you can mix water and baking soda and use the paste to wipe or scrub your silver bracelet with a cloth. This mixture is considered safer to be used in silver jewelry instead of following the myth of toothpaste. While toothpaste is believed to help polish off tarnish, jewelers advise against it as it can also scratch your silver.

Similar to gold bracelets, go the extra mile in protecting your silver bracelet from tarnish by removing it before showering or swimming, as moisture, humidity, and chlorine can damage it.

Pearl Bracelets

Pearls are natural and delicate gemstones that can last for years if you know how to care for them properly. They have a shiny finish that gives their natural sparkle. And to preserve this shine, avoid using strong cleaning solutions. And more so, make sure not to scrub the pearl to avoid it being scratched or damaged.

You can mix warm water with mild dish soap or laundry detergent. Dip a cloth into the solution and lightly wipe your pearl bracelet. Note that jewelers advise against soaking or submerging your pearl necklace into a cleaning mixture as the silk string or thread can absorb it and may weaken its composition. After wiping your pearl necklace, dry it off using a wet cloth, or you can also opt to air dry it before storing jewelry properly.

A good practice you can consider to keep the polished look of your pearl necklace is to wipe and clean it with a soft cloth after every use. You can also follow the ‘last on, first off’ approach, where you wear your necklace last, after putting on makeup or spraying perfume, and removing it first when undressing. This can help minimize the exposure of your pearls to chemicals. 

Final Thoughts

As you’ve read above, it’s generally not that difficult to clean bracelets; however, each material has cleaning methods and materials to follow and use to ensure you won’t accidentally damage them. And, if you’re unsure what materials your jewelry is made of, the best way to know is to bring it to your local jeweler to find out. That way, they'll be able to guide and help you maintain the cleanliness of your jewels.