Even the highest quality jewellery can become damaged if not properly taken care of. Gold will scratch, silver will tarnish, and chains will break if not cared for correctly.
These eco-friendly cleaning tips will help keep your jewellery looking its best. But knowing the reasons why jewellery gets damaged will help prevent it from happening.
If you want to prevent accidental jewellery damage, these are the mistakes that will accidentally ruin your jewellery - and how to avoid them.
Mistakes That Will Ruin Jewellery
Jewellery Care Mistake #1: Never Taking Jewellery Off
When you love a piece of jewellery, it becomes an essential part of your daily outfits. You'll want to wear it every day—even when you shouldn't! Many people don't realise that never taking jewellery off can accidentally cause irreparable damage.
Some of the most common causes of accidental damage to jewellery include contact with everyday products like perfume, skincare, and cleaning fluids, which can cause corrosion of the metal. Being submerged in water or left in a humid environment will also cause damage if the jewellery isn't dried properly.
Another way jewellery can become damaged is by being left on while asleep or getting undressed. Necklaces easily tangle or become snagged on clothes, resulting in chains breaking or being stretched.
This kind of damage is easily avoided by simply removing jewellery when cleaning, bathing, or exercised; and getting while getting dressed and undressed.
Jewellery Care Mistake #2: Not Storing Jewellery Properly
While it's tempting to keep jewellery on the bedside table, hanging on a jewellery stand. It's a surefire way to cause accidental damage to the jewellery.
Leaving jewellery out in the open exposes it to the change of accidental damage from sunlight, water, and corrosive products. Sterling silver naturally tarnishes, and leaving it out will accelerate the tarnishing process. While gold, vermeil, and gold-fill rarely tarnishes, it can still become damaged when exposed to corrosive products.
Make sure to store jewellery in a jewellery box to prevent accidental damage. Fasten chains to prevent tangles, store rings in ring holders, and keep earrings in pairs. Use a travel jewellery box to protect against damage and loss when away from home.
Jewellery Care Mistake #3: Incorrectly Cleaning Jewellery
All jewellery will eventually need a little TLC to bring back its shine especially sterling silver which naturally tarnishes over time. However, not doing it properly is a surefire way to ruin the jewellery.
Not following jewellery cleaning instructions properly or using DIY cleaning methods can potentially damage jewellery. So it's important to know exactly how jewellery should—and shouldn't—be cleaned!
Jewellery Care Mistake #4: Putting Jewellery On First
Snags are one of the most common causes of broken jewellery. Getting it caught on clothing while dressing will lead to accidental damage caused from getting tangled in clothing.
The result is often a snagged chain that will either snap or distort from being pulled. Earring fall out while rings get pulled off, which disappear into the carpet, through floorboards, or under cupboards.
Another way jewellery is damaged from being put on before getting dressed is exposure to beauty products, like perfume. This can cause tarnishing and permanent discolouration.
Avoid all the heartbreak of lost or damaged jewellery by following this simple rule: jewellery should always be the last thing you put on when getting dressed and the first thing you take off before getting undressed.
Jewellery Care Mistake #5: Not Wearing Jewellery Enough
Not wanting to risk losing jewellery is enough to put you off wearing it - but that's exactly how jewellery can end up damaged!
The worry over damaging jewellery or losing it might put you off wearing it. But that's a bigger mistake than you realise! Not wearing jewellery enough can do just as much damage as wearing it all the time.
If stored properly, jewellery will be safe from accidental damage. But certain metals, like sterling silver, will naturally tarnish over time. Wearing these pieces often will help keep the jewellery looking its best.
When jewellery is being worn it rubs up against clothing, which helps to gently polish the metal. So wearing jewellery will prevent accidental damage caused by tarnishing, keeping the jewellery looking shiny and new!
