22 North Main Street Fort Scott, KS 66701
Jewelry Care & Cleaning
How often should I have my jewelry checked & cleaned?
Yes! We love when people ask us this question! You want your jewelry to stay safe and shiny, and we are all for that. Keep reading to learn about the best ways to care for your jewelry at home.
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Our jeweler recommends having your pieces cleaned and checked as regularly as possible. But hey, we know life is crazy, so make sure to have your jewelry looked over at least 2-3 times a year. At our store, this service is completely complimentary, even if you didn’t buy your jewelry from us. In a way, it’s like free insurance, because finding a problem, like a loose stone that might fall out, will save you money in the long run. Don’t worry, if your stones need tightened or your jewelry needs repaired, we will call you with an estimate before doing anything that will cost you money.
So you were baking last night, and you forgot to take off your rings. Now they’ve got cookie dough all over them, and you aren’t sure what to do. Don’t worry, here’s everything you need to know about safely cleaning up those rings at home. We recommend that you soak your jewelry in hot water with a mild detergent like Dawn dish soap. If this doesn’t get all of that stubborn cookie dough off, find a soft bristle toothbrush and gently scrub the problem areas with dish soap. Rinse with hot water and Voila! You’ll be saying, “What cookie dough?” in no time!
Yes, please do! There’s a simple way that you can check your jewelry at home. Just hold the piece up to your ear and gently tap it with your finger. If you hear any rattling noises, please come see us right away!
Planning to get all dressed up and pull out that beautiful strand of pearls tonight? Wow, you are going to look so great, and we want to help you keep your pearls looking great too! Always remember to put your pearls on after you do your makeup and hair! Things like makeup, hairspray, and perfume all contain harsh chemicals that can dull the brightness and luster of your pearl jewelry. In fact, even body oils have a small amount of acid that can damage your pearls over time. After your night out on the town, make sure to gently clean your pearls with a soft, damp cloth and store them safely away from sharp objects in a soft pouch. Give your pearls a little extra love by occasionally cleaning them with hot water and a mild detergent like Dawn dish soap.
Jewelry Cleaning Don'ts
Now that you know how to keep your jewelry looking gorgeous, here are a few tips of what not to do when cleaning and wearing with your jewelry!
STOP! Put down the toothpaste and back away slowly! Ok, well maybe we are being a little dramatic. But seriously, toothpaste isn’t good to use for cleaning your jewelry. Toothpaste is abrasive and can leave micro-scratches on your jewelry, which will take that shiny, high-polish finish right off after a couple of cleanings. To make matters worse, if you don’t get all that toothpaste out from under your stones, it will dry and kill all their sparkle. Dry toothpaste isn’t easy to scrub off either. Don’t get me wrong, we always love to see you here at our store, but if you follow our cleaning tips above, you might save yourself an extra trip to have your jewelry professionally cleaned!
You just asked Google, “How do I polish my jewelry at home.” And what did it say? Lipstick. Way back when, lipstick use to contain rouge, which is a compound that was commonly used to polish jewelry. Hmm, kind of sounds like a bright idea now, right? Nope, lipstick can leave an oily residue on your jewelry that will cause dirt and gunk to collect more easily on your mounting and stones, and to be honest, it’s really messy too!
Don’t use bleach on your jewelry! Don’t even wear your jewelry when working with bleach or other harsh chemicals. It may sound like a good idea to disinfect your rings with this common household chemical, but bleach will actually attack the alloy in your gold or silver jewelry and eat away at it. Over time, bleach or chemical exposure can actually cause your jewelry to crack and crumble. Heads up! Swimming pools, hot tubs, and ocean water can do the exact same thing. We live in Kansas, so we know that summertime sun is no joke. Just remember next time you jump in the pool to cool down, take your jewelry off first!
Just a quick reminder, please don’t wear your jewelry when doing housework, gardening, or when pulling the cylinder head off your tractor! Also, we know it’s tempting, but don’t heap your jewelry into one drawer. Remember a diamond ring can scratch your pearl necklace, so keep them separate so they don’t start fighting about who’s on whose side of the jewelry box!