How to store pearls at home. Tips and rules for storing and cleaning pearls

Pearls are the favorite gemstone of many women. It is associated with sophistication, beauty, and spiritual purity. By adding a pearl thread to your look, you can add a touch of elegance and emphasize your attractiveness. Every owner of jewelry with this sea gem should be able to properly care for pearls.

The key feature of pearls is their organic origin. Therefore, the mineral deteriorates under the influence of negative environmental factors: high humidity and dry air, chemicals and other things.

How to wear pearls

Pearls can be found in a variety of jewelry for everyday wear and special occasions. If a woman wears accessories with sea stone every day, it is important to protect the mineral from pollution and negative environmental factors.

Basic rules for wearing jewelry:

1. All pearl-encrusted accessories must touch clean skin.
2. Jewelry is put on after applying decorative cosmetics and spraying perfume. Components of cosmetic products should not come into contact with the stone.
3. Before cleaning, going to the gym or swimming, remove accessories. If sweat, chlorine or household chemicals get on the pearls, the jewelry will be hopelessly damaged.

Do not wear pearls in the heat, as they quickly lose moisture, delaminate and become unsuitable for further wear.

How to store pearls

Proper care of pearls begins with following the rules for storing jewelry. It is important to monitor the microclimate of the room in which the box with pearls is located.

Microclimate

When storing jewelry with sea stone at home, you need to evaluate the air humidity and temperature in the room. Cold will cause loss of shine. Due to the heat, mother-of-pearl gems will crack and lose their aesthetic properties and energy.

Pearls are the first stone that was used as jewelry in ancient times. Since then, little has changed: mother-of-pearl beads are loved and appreciated by women of all ages for their beauty and vibrant shine. But this capricious stone, like a person, gets sick, grows old and even dies. Therefore, proper care for it is very important.

How to help pearls maintain beauty and health

Born in the water element in a mollusk shell, pearls are 10% water. It is not for nothing that in some cultures it is considered alive. Like any living creature, it is sensitive to the external environment and requires careful treatment.

Types and characteristics of pearls - video

Enemies of the stone

Ignorance of the characteristics of pearls can lead to a change in its color, loss of shine, clouding, and sometimes even death.

1. Vinegar and other acids. There is a legend that Cleopatra, at a feast with Mark Antony, dissolved a pearl in vinegar and drank the drink. History is silent about how this affected the queen’s health. But it is a fact that acid dissolves pearls. He is afraid even of its fumes. Remove decorations before cooking or canning with vinegar.
2. Any aggressive household chemicals are detrimental to pearls. Avoid contact with strong alkali, ammonia, peroxide, solvents, chlorine.
3. The soft surface of pearls is easy to scratch, so you should avoid contact with sharp objects in every possible way. It is not recommended to wear a pearl necklace over clothes made of coarse wool. Even soft abrasives such as soda and fine salt should not be used for cleaning.
4. Pearls need moisture, but in moderation. From its excess, pearls swell and fade, and mold may even appear. Be sure to remove jewelry before taking a shower or bath, especially before going to the bathhouse. Water combined with high temperature is detrimental to pearls, and dry air makes them brittle and brownish.
5. Cosmetics - creams, lipsticks, perfumes, hair sprays - harm pearls. Put on jewelry last after applying makeup, hairspray, perfume, or eau de toilette.
6. Delicate stones do not like to sunbathe, preferring cool shade to the sun's rays.

Now it is impossible to buy pearls found by divers in the depths of the sea: their extraction has long been prohibited. The one sold in jewelry stores is grown on pearl farms. But this does not make the stone artificial, because a person only helps slightly by placing a grain of sand or a piece of mother-of-pearl into the shell.

How to pamper your pearls

Take your jewelry in your hands more often, sort through the pearls, put it on and walk it. Pearls love human contact, imbuing them with energy and skin moisture. This makes them come alive and begin to shine.

Pearls need human contact

Pearls reveal all their beauty precisely when in contact with young skin, because with age it loses moisture, which is so necessary for the stone. It is not for nothing that in the old days in Rus', unmarried girls were allowed to wear only pearl jewelry, as a symbol of purity and purity.

Young skin imbues pearls with essential moisture

If your skin is very dry, choose framed jewelry.

How to store pearls

Revived from foam: cleaning pearls

Like any jewelry, items with pearls need regular cleaning. Make it a rule that after removing jewelry, wipe it with a dry or damp lint-free cloth.

Soap bath for sissy

If the pearls have become dull, yellowed and have a coating on them, wash them with clean water. For severe stains, you will need a mild soap with a low alkali content, baby soap is suitable. This method is safe for any type of pearls: sea, river, artificial.

1. Dissolve the soap in water and whip into foam.
2. Apply it to the pearls and massage with your fingers. Rings, earrings, pendants can be soaked in soapy water. Do not immerse the necklace completely in water. Often the beads are strung on a silk thread, which stretches and deteriorates due to water.

   Beads should not be completely immersed in water.

3. Remove the remains with a dry soft cloth and wipe the beads with a damp cloth, and rinse the rest of the jewelry in running water.
4. Place clean accessories on a linen cloth, blot and let dry.

   Let the washed pearl products dry on a napkin.

Products with gold and silver frames also require cleaning of the metal. Gold and rhodium-plated silver do not darken or oxidize in air. Simply wash them with soapy water. Non-rhodic material does not have a protective coating, darkens and oxidizes upon contact with the skin and requires careful cleaning.

Gold jewelry with pearls just need to be washed in soapy water.

It is important to clean your jewelry without damaging the pearls.

How to properly clean pearls with salt

If a soap and foam bath does not help, use salt.

1. Place the decoration in a white napkin and sprinkle with fine salt. You can't rub it, but you don't have to.
2. Tie the napkin into a tight knot.
3. Place it in a bowl of cool water and rinse until the salt dissolves.
4. Rinse the product with clean water and dry.

This procedure will cleanse the silver and make it shine, and the moist shimmer will return to the pearl, because it was born in salt water. Sometimes pamper your sea pearls with salt baths, they will be grateful to you.

Silver jewelry with pearls are cleaned with salt

Cleaning pearls with starch

Use potato starch to remove excess moisture, sebum and dirt from pearls. Just sprinkle the stones with this substance and then wipe them with a velvet cloth.

Starch is used to clean pearls from excess moisture and dirt.

If you are not satisfied with the results of home cleaning, it is better to take your jewelry to a jeweler. It will carefully clean the products, taking into account the characteristics of metal and pearls. You should not experiment on your own, even with professional jewelry cleaning products: the result can be disastrous.

What not to use to clean pearls

Everything that pearls are afraid of cannot be used to cleanse them:

• acids;
• household chemicals;
• solvents;
• peroxide, ammonia, oils;
• any abrasives;
• ultrasonic bath.

Some sources advise using acid's ability to dissolve nacre to restore shine to pearls. This method can destroy the decoration irrevocably. Recommendations to clean pearls with olive oil are also questionable. After all, fats are one of the elements that harm mother of pearl.

The cleaning rules are the same for sea and river stone. But artificial ones require special care. After all, the layer of mother-of-pearl applied to a glass or plastic bead is much thinner than that of natural pearls. This means it is easier to damage.

Love your pearls, treat them with care, like you would a capricious but helpless child. And it will answer you with a gentle glow and will delight you for many years.

Pearls are a piece of jewelry that will never go out of date. From the very beginning of our era to this day, this is the thing that will add purity and tenderness to a girl, and charm and mystery to a woman. But this luxurious pearl requires delicate treatment and careful care, so the following information will come in handy for all lovers of these gifts of nature. How to clean pearl jewelry at home and prevent damage to your favorite necklace, bracelet, ring or earrings - all useful tips are collected here.

pearl products

Pearl is a mineral that is formed in the shells of mollusks as a result of the entry of a foreign body. Natural is extracted from the bottom of the sea or river, and the so-called cultivated is grown artificially. A special type of pearl is soufflé. This mineral is hollow inside. It requires even more careful treatment when cleaning and wearing.

The lifespan of pearl beads is relatively short - no more than 1.5 hundred years. Over time, they may develop a yellowish layer, cracks, or black spots. And yet, such defects can be prevented and the life of the product can be extended. The main thing is to regularly care for your pearls.

What can't be used?

When you want to quickly clean your pearls, you can use aggressive products that can easily deal with contamination. But in 90% of cases they completely ruin the fragile pearl. After a couple of sessions of such cleaning, the beads will sharply lose their appearance: they will stop shining, turn yellow, lose their pearlescent coating, become scratched or even crack.

Therefore, remember that pearls do not tolerate:

1. Abrasive powders. They can easily scratch the delicate top layer. Pearls will fade instantly.
2. Solvents. Even nail polish remover without acetone does not cancel the rule.
3. Vinegar. And also other acids easily dissolve the mineral. Even water with the addition of these substances can harm pearls.
4. Alkaline products. He will not even tolerate soda paste, which is considered more gentle. This also includes solid soap.
5. Alcohol. Including ammonia, which is too aggressive for pearl products.
6. Ultrasound. It is better to bypass this method, especially this rule applies to freshwater and cultured pearls, since their coating is much thinner than that of natural ones.
7. Detergents for dishes, windows, furniture. Their components can be hazardous to organic minerals. Be careful!
8. Hot water. To clean mother of pearl, use warm or room temperature water. In this case, it is better to take drinking water and not from the tap.
9. Synthetic sponges and hard brushes. It is better to use cotton swabs, cosmetic brushes or applicators instead. Of course, clean.
10. Metal sharp objects. Never use a knife to remove dirt. Especially soufflé pearls. An ordinary mineral can be severely scratched, but a soufflé can simply be crumbled with just one awkward movement.

Cleaning products

To clean mother-of-pearl items, you usually do not need to contact a professional. You can clean your pearls yourself at home, and you don’t even have to run to the store.

Soap solution

A great option for cleaning pearl beads. Prepare two plastic bowls. Fill one with clean water, and the second with a soap solution (for 1 glass of water, 1 teaspoon of liquid soap). The water in both containers should be at room temperature.

Place the product in a bowl of soap for 30 minutes. If necessary, you can gently clean the pearls with a soft sponge or cloth. Afterwards, rinse several times in clean water and wipe with a cloth. But even if you think that you have wiped the pearls dry, still place them on a horizontal surface for another half hour, spreading a soft cloth. Do not leave the pearl thread to dry in a vertical position - it will easily stretch.

You can also clean the stones with a cotton pad soaked in soapy water. Then wipe with a damp disc and leave until dry.

Starch

But starch can easily help whiten pearls. In addition, it will collect excess moisture, which harms the mineral:

1. Pour potato starch onto a velvet or suede fabric, place the product on it and sprinkle more on top. Wrap the remaining piece of velvet around the jewelry and massage it gently in your hands for a few minutes. After this, rinse it in clean water and dry it, leaving it on a dry cloth for half an hour.
2. There is another method. But it is more suitable for low pollution. Place the pearls in a box or plastic jar with starch and close the lid tightly. Shake it for a few minutes and then rinse and dry your precious item.

Salt

Salt will cleanse pearls well. The main thing is to use small ones, and you can simply grind the large ones. The mineral will be liked even more by sea salt:

Sunbath

They say that direct sunlight is harmful to pearl jewelry. But sometimes it is permissible to use this method. For example, when you want to bleach pearl beads. The main thing is not to overdo it with sun exposure. A few hours will be enough. Rotate the beads periodically and then cover with a soft cloth. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated the next day.

Special paste

Not the cheapest, but the safest option. Jewelry paste will not only clean the pearl from dirt and plaque, but will also make it shine again. You just need to apply a little product on a soft napkin, wipe the pearls with it, and then remove the remaining paste with a dry and clean napkin. After this, you can also treat the pearls with velvet or suede to make them shine.

This paste is sold only in specialized stores. It’s unlikely that you’ll find one like this in an ordinary household store. At the same time, jewelry paste is available for different types of products. Before purchasing, read the label - the product should be specifically designed to care for mother-of-pearl.

Advice! You should not clean pearls with jewelry paste very often. This can reduce the service life of the decoration significantly. For regular care, it is better to use milder products.

How to restore shine to stones?

Refined olive oil can restore the shine of pearls. Other fats can cause the opposite effect - not restore shine, but attract even more dust. And pay attention to the expiration date - expired oil can spoil the mineral.

Pour some oil onto a cotton pad and rub it pearl by pearl. Then clean the beads with a lint-free cloth, removing any residue. Try not to overdo the quantity. Oil can get into the hole and dirt will accumulate there faster.

Cleaning pearls in a setting

Jewelry combined from different types of metals with pearls looks especially interesting. But caring for them is even more difficult. For each element you need to choose your own tool. And at the same time try not to damage the neighboring one. Usually pearls are framed in precious metal. Let's deal with each in order.

Golden

There are two ways to clean pearls in gold:

1. Soak a cotton swab in ammonia and gently clean the metal element.
2. Apply baby powder or cosmetic powder to a piece of flannel and buff the metal piece.

Important! Gold gets dirty quite quickly, so if you wear it constantly, you need to clean items with it once every two weeks.

Silver

But silver can be cleaned less often - about once every two months. For this type of metal there is the following instructions:

1. The soda must be quenched with vinegar or ammonia and applied to the silver. Then, while the metal is soaking, wipe the pearls with a cloth soaked in soapy water. Wait another half hour and rinse the product with warm water.
2. If the silver parts have darkened, it is better to take the precious item to a jeweler. It is better to correct such a defect in the hands of a professional.
3. It may well be that after cleaning, some dirt remains between the metal and the pearl. Especially a lot accumulates on earrings and rings. A wooden toothpick will help remove such stains - it will not scratch the pearls.
4. If metal cleaner does come into contact with your pearls, immediately rinse the pearls in warm water.

Caring for artificial pearls

Most of the pearl jewelry that women now purchase is made from artificially produced mother-of-pearl. But the rules for care and wear are no different. It also needs to be regularly looked after, stored carefully and used carefully.

Caring for pearls is not only delicate cleaning, but careful wear and proper storage. It is worth remembering the following rules, and you will be able to pass on precious things from generation to generation:

1. You should not store pearls in a pile with other jewelry. It is better to put it in a box lined with velvet. Dust settled on it can leave small cracks, causing the mineral to quickly lose its shine.
2. You need to keep pearls in a place with humid air. Only 2% of pearls contain water. Accordingly, dry air can easily damage it, and it will begin to peel off. However, excess moisture can also contribute to turbidity of the mineral. Near the place where the pearl item lies, it is enough to place a glass of water.
3. Prolonged exposure to the sun is also dangerous for pearls - they can turn yellow and tarnish.
4. Take off your pearls before playing sports. Sweat contains acids that easily corrode the pearlescent layer.
5. Cosmetics, perfumes and hairspray cause severe damage to the mineral. That is why a precious item should be worn only after you have applied cosmetics to your skin and hair. At the same time, wait until creams, perfumes and other products are completely absorbed into your skin. Otherwise, a coating will appear on the pearls.
6. Try to clean your pearls with soap and water after each wear. This will make it easier to avoid professional restoration.
7. Do not store pearl beads hanging. The thread stretches and thins very easily. By the way, it should be changed every three years.
8. Cleaning the mineral with a dry cloth is a bad idea. Dust particles on it will scratch the pearls.
9. Wear mother-of-pearl jewelry more often. They age much faster if they don’t “go out into the world.”

Pearls are 90% calcium carbonate, 5% water, and another 5% the organic substance concholine, which plays a cementing role. The organic matter present in pearls dries out and breaks down over time, so pearls have a certain lifespan, then they dull, flake and break down. However, with proper storage and care, pearls do not lose their beauty for several hundred years.

Pearls are negatively affected by four main factors:

High temperature;

High humidity;

Significant brightness of light;

Air pollution level.

Excessively dry skin of its owner also has a detrimental effect on it. In room conditions, the surface layer of pearls usually dehydrates slowly, but if your home is constantly hot, this process may accelerate.

Pearls do not feel well in excessively damp rooms. On the street, the most dangerous for pearls are industrial emissions and vehicle exhaust gases in the form of so-called “acid” rain. Harmful fumes and acids can dissolve the iris of pearls. As a result of this impact, the pearls seem to melt.

Tobacco smoke is harmful to pearls, which can cause them to turn yellow and fade. No less dangerous are all kinds of household and cosmetic products in aerosol packages, such as deodorants, hair sprays, antistatic agents for clothes, aerosol cosmetics for clothes and shoes.

Street and house dust are equally unpleasant for the life of pearls. Dust particles, settling on the surface of the pearls, damage them with their sharp edges and thereby gradually deprive them of their shine.

In sunlight, especially in hot weather, pearls gradually fade, fade, and sometimes turn yellow, losing their iridescence and shine.

You should not wear pearls in the sauna, bath, shower or pool, open beaches and ponds.

Perfume and eau de toilette should be used by the owner of the pearl necklace in advance of wearing it. Therefore, it is worth following a simple rule: you put on pearls last, and take them off first.

The thread on which the pearls are strung should be changed (given to a master for dressing) every 3–5 years, depending on the intensity of use, as it tends to stretch and may even break.

Nowadays, many special compositions for caring for pearls are sold, but this is just another way for entrepreneurs to make money. Pearls can be washed with plain water and wiped with a soft cloth. Pearls are durable. But, since it began to be consciously cultivated only in 1901, its lifespan has yet to be accurately determined. If the shell is thick and without cracks, then your pearls will be enough for both children and great-grandchildren. Natural pearls live 200–300 years; pearls are known that are 400 years old. There is even one that is 800 years old.

How to restore pearls to their former shine?

We offer some practical tips to help restore your pearls to their former shine:

1. Rub it lightly with potato starch to remove excess moisture and dirt.
2. Rinse pearls in salt water
3. Wash it in a mild soapy water solution and then polish it with a soft cloth

In Rus', other methods of treating “sick” pearls were also known. One of them recommended the following: pearls, without removing them from the string, should be sprinkled with salt, placed in a clean canvas bag and rinsed in warm water until the salt dissolves. Then the pearls should be dried in a bright, dust-free room away from sunlight.

Don't forget that pearls are created with the help of living creatures - mollusks. Their lives were not in vain if you value and cherish their creation - the pearl of great price.

In order to please with its beautiful radiance, you need to properly care for it, removing impurities in a timely manner. This is a little more difficult to do than in the case of semi-precious stones. Therefore, before you start cleaning with improvised means, find out about ways to carefully cleanse minerals.

All varieties of pearls require proper handling. The following may be detrimental to the mineral:

• excessive moisture;
• cosmetics;
• dust;
• scorching sun rays;
• too dry air;
• temperature changes.

To avoid the effects of external factors on the mineral, you need to periodically clean it. But not all methods are good. Some of them can ruin the mother-of-pearl coating of pearls:

• Do not use a dry cloth for cleaning. The mineral can be scratched by dust particles, and over time completely deprive it of its shine.
• Do not use household chemicals, abrasives or various acids when cleaning. They can corrode the surface of the stone.

To clean pearls at home, you can use any method convenient for you. To do this, you only need available tools.

But in cases where it is difficult to remove dirt manually, you should contact a jewelry maker.

View this post on Instagram

To remove dirt from jewelry yourself, there are especially effective ways:

• Starch will help restore the shine to pearls. Wipe the beads with a soft cloth or cotton napkin and sprinkle them with corn or potato starch. Cleaning will remove excess moisture and grease.
• You can clean yellowed stones using ordinary salt. It will make them shine again and return their original shade. Pour a teaspoon of table salt into a linen cloth and place pearls on it. Wrap in cloth and place in water. Rinse it until the salt completely dissolves. Then dry and let the decoration rest.
• Oil will help restore the shine of pearls. Soak a napkin in olive oil and wipe each bead with it. Wipe the minerals again with a dry, soft cloth to remove any excess oil.
• Cleaning with a soap solution is considered gentle and allows you to carefully clean the stones from plaque and dust. To clean, soak them in soapy water for an hour. Then wipe with a cotton cloth soaked in the solution. Dry the product and let it rest.
• Use nylon socks in addition to the soap solution. Place the beads inside and rinse in the solution, paying attention to each pearl, drying when cleaning is complete.

Never use the following when cleaning pearls:

• Vinegar. Mother of pearl dissolves when exposed to vinegar.
• Steam, boiling water. The mineral is susceptible to high temperatures.
• Sharp instruments. In an attempt to scrape off dirt, you will spoil the appearance of the stone with deep scratches.
• Ultrasound. If you use ultrasonic devices, the pearls will be damaged forever.
• Soda. The mother-of-pearl layer is damaged by an alkaline environment.
• Abrasive cleaning powders. You can scratch the stone and make it dull.
• Ammonia. You can wipe the frame, but without touching the pearl inserts.
• Manicure polish remover. May corrode the mother-of-pearl layer of the bead.

Continuing the topic, watch a video review from a specialist:

How to care for pearls

You need to properly care for pearls at home. The rules must be followed:

• Remove jewelry before engaging in physical activity.
• Try to clean your jewelry after each use.
• Do not wear jewelry on skin that has greasy cream. Wait for it to dry.
• Avoid getting perfume on products.
• Do not wear jewelry in cold, rain or heat.
• Change the thread 1-3 times a year if you have a necklace.
• If you're doing makeup, put on jewelry after you're done.
• Do not allow household chemicals to come into contact with pearls. Remove bracelets before washing dishes.

The recommendations are also suitable for caring for pearls in gold. But cleaning such jewelry will have a little more nuance, because gentle methods for removing contaminants from pearls are not always effective for precious metals.

Toothpaste is most often used to clean gold.

Use a cotton pad with a small amount of paste to wipe the frame, avoiding contact with the pearls. Finally, dip the jewelry in a soapy solution, dry it, and let it rest.

Also watch a video about proper care:

How to store pearls

In order for the gem to continue to shine and amaze with its rainbow tint, in addition to proper care, you need to take care of storage conditions. To do this, you need to choose a special place where the decoration will be located while it is not in use. Take care to create a suitable environment.

Microclimate

Monitor the temperature in your home. It should be approximately 25 degrees, not low and not too high.

Maintain optimal indoor humidity. If the air in the room is too dry, place a glass of water next to the decoration.

Storage location

Do not store stones open. Keep them in a special bag or case. It is better if there are no other stones there, so as not to accidentally scratch the jewelry.

The ideal case for pearls is a box lined with velvet on the inside.

Pearl jewelry has remained a classic of fashion and style for centuries. But in order for the gem to serve you as long as possible, try to adhere to the rules for maintaining jewelry and clean it on time.

Which pearl cleaning method do you find most convenient? Write your answer in the comments, share your experience on this topic. Don't forget to repost on social networks.