Safe Ways To Clean And Store Mother Of Pearl Jewellery

By Francisco Jose Escobar

Whether for decorations or jewellery, mother of pearl has been used throughout history to adorn musical instruments, marble, and ceramics - anything that can benefit from its artistic shine is fair game. Their gorgeous colors are created by carving out mollusk shells, which can cast some amazing reflections that produce a new artistic effect that changes based on the angle from which it is being viewed. Though it used to be worn primarily by royalty, these days it is so affordable that average people can own it, yet it retains the beauty that has prompted families to keep unique pieces over generations.

The luster of mother of pearl is easily soiled, but with the proper care mother of pearl jewellery can last many years.

Adhere to the following directions to keep your mother of pearl pretty for many years to come.

Be gentle with your mother of pearl jewellery, as it is delicate. No matter what you're doing with your jewellery, be sure you do it as carefully as possible. This will prevent the individual pearls from rubbing against each other. Over time, unnecessary friction can damage the nacre of your mother of pearl, which will dull your jewellery if you are not careful.

Avoid strenuous activities while wearing your jewellery. In other words, don't crawl, don't run, don't do things that may result in your jewellery being flung about. If you ignore this warning, you risk catching your jewellery on something, which will end with you scratching or even losing your pearls when they fall. The string in a necklace can be worn down with sweat, which will break down your nacre and damage your jewellery in the long run.

Don't wash yourself while wearing jewellery. Avoid bathing or showering while wearing any jewellery. If you let your mother of pearl get dunked in standing or running water, you can ruin the strings of a necklace and once again cause friction that can damage your jewellery and possibly ruin it altogether. Act smart and always remove your mother of pearl before washing your body.

Wet jewellery should dry out completely before being stored. That being said, jewellery can and will get wet if you wear it enough, so if your mother of pearl does get wet you have to let it dry thoroughly before dumping it into storage. This will help out because it stops wear and tear on your jewellery and also stops bacteria from growing out of control on your mother of pearl. You're putting this on naked skin, after all. Don't let it become a germ factory.

If your jewellery becomes dirty, be sure to clean it carefully. Mother of pearl being as delicate as it is, most chemicals are too abrasive and powerful to clean jewellery properly. Never put any mother of pearl in an ultrasonic cleaner for the same reason. If you are able, wipe any dirt from your jewellery with a piece of gentle cloth to clean your piece, but if you need something a little more heavy duty use a mixture of water and mild soap, and then allow it to sit and dry.

Don't leave mother of pearl out in the open. Store your mother of pearl jewellery in a bag made from soft cloth. Keep it away from other pieces of jewellery to avoid wearing down the nacre with friction. This will also help avoid dust issues.

Mother of pearl is beautiful and affordable, and with a little attention to these suggestions you can keep yours looking amazing for life. - 33380

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