As the current Covid-19 pandemic continues to develop, public health experts consistently and rightfully urge us to wash our hands more frequently, and for at least 20 seconds each time we wash. Even if we stay indoors all day, but merely venture out to bring the mail in or pick up a parcel that has been left at the door, or have just made a run to the grocery, we need to wash our hands shortly after. One area sometimes missed in these reminders, however, is what we should do with our jewelry.

It seems evident that, given the unique circumstances we are all living in, we should take all steps feasible to help limit the spread of Covid-19, which entails cleaning our jewelry too. Yet, doubts remain as to how to clean it, how often to clean it, what to clean it with, and if we should take it off to clean. These are significant concerns since understanding the best technique to wash our jewelry helps us to follow health procedures. It will also prevent us from accidentally ruining a favorite piece of jewelry since we didn’t wash it correctly. Indeed, with all the uncertainties and terrible news everyday, we don’t need cause for additional disappointment.

With that in mind, we’ve developed this little tutorial on how to properly wash your jewelry, along with a brief explanation as to why it’s vital to do it this way.

The Tips

Water and Soap

The safest approach to clean your rings is with regular old warm water and a mild dish soap.

Clean behind your stones in the mountings. If some dried or caked in soap, grease or hand lotion seems to stay on your rings, simply soak them for a short bit to loosen up the debris and then if necessary gently clean them with a soft toothbrush. Note: Hand moisturizers play a vital part in keeping our hands clean because they help prevent cracked or dry skin. As a result, our skin is less able to absorb the advantages of soaps and hand sanitizers when it is cracked or dry. This is why it is important to keep our skin moisturized and hydrated. This can lead to the growth of bacteria because moisturizers often leave behind a lot of debris behind stones and stone settings, which is a perfect breeding ground for the microbes. As a result, although hydrating our hands is crucial, so is wiping up the residue that the moisturizer leaves behind.

No hand sanitizers. Pearls and coral should not be cleaned with soap and water, as they are made of natural materials. Alcohol in sanitizers can dry up jewels and cause them to crack or break. Opals and turquoise, both of which are permeable stones, can be harmed by sanitizers. Your stones' prongs may even come free over time if you use a sanitizer frequently. Additionally, with time, exposure to bleach and chlorine will degrade a stone's radiance, resulting in a dull appearance. To summarize, jewelry should not be cleaned using harsh cleaning agents.

Special Care Pieces

Pieces with closed-back mountings, such as those found in Georgian and early Victorian pieces, require extra caution. A stone's look might be impacted if water enters through its mountings. Lockets with a photo or other adornment embedded in the glass or jewelry should also be avoided. These kinds of jewelry shouldn't be cleaned in the dishwasher or with soap and water.

Remove  jewelry

Finally, before washing your hands, make sure to take off all jewelry. Your hands won't be effectively cleaned by using your jewelry to wash your hands, because bacteria can hide in the tiny crevices and nooks of jewelry. The drain must be closed or covered if you set your rings on the sink while you wash your hands.