I remember the time I bought my first piece of expensive jewelry on my own. I was so proud I'd flaunt it everywhere, but I didn't take care of it and never thought of cleaning jewelry because it cost so much- my biggest mistake. With time, it lost its shine, and eventually, my jewelry tarnished, and I was heartbroken. That is when Chris, the beginner, realized the importance of jewelry cleaning because that alone could've saved my precious bracelet. Now, I always make sure I clean my jewelry regularly so that it stays with me forever. If you own any type of jewelry, you must learn how to clean jewelry.

That being said, we would definitely want our treasured jewelry to be in the best condition for as long as possible.

Understanding How to Clean Jewelry: What is Jewelry Tarnish?

One of the most petrifying conditions to find your jewelry and mens beaded bracelet in is when it’s tarnished, and that is often the result from the lack of knowledge on how to clean jewelry properly. Why does silver tarnish? As common as silver jewelry are, they are still delicate and require care if you know how to clean silver jewelry. 

The influencing factors behind tarnished silver are environmental. For example, pollution and humidity can cause damaging chemical reactions on the silver jewelry on your mens beaded bracelet. Tarnished jewelry is the result of oxidization, which is a natural process that would happen to silver mens beaded bracelet as well. Oxidization occurs to metals when they are exposed to oxygen in the atmosphere, though its damage could be minimized when you know how to clean jewelry with care. 

10 Best Jewelry Care Tips: How to Clean jewelry?

Since tarnish is one of the most significant issues in figuring out how to clean jewelry, you need to know a handful of things about it. Tarnishing ruins your jewelry in many ways, but there are more ways to protect jewelry. In fact, I can give you ten ways that you can prevent jewelry tarnish.

#1 Tips on How to Clean Jewelry: Avoid collision 

One of the biggest causes of tarnish is a collision. When jewelry hits surfaces, many times, it loses its finish and begins to tarnishing. Be sure to prevent this at all costs and always protect jewelry when it's not in use. You can store it in a jewelry box if you like. 

#2 Tips on How to Clean Jewelry: Do Jewelry Storage in Special Jewelry Box

Jewelry storage is an aspect in jewelry care that would often be dismissed, but it is an essential knowledge for all that wants to know how to clean jewelry. Without understanding the importance of storage, any further actions on jewelry polishing would be counterproductive.

When you purchase jewelry online or in a store, they usually come with a box or pouch. They are not just enticing packaging that belongs with the product, but also the designated protective gear for your jewelry. Other than knowing how to clean jewelry, you should always store them in the box provided when not in use.

#3 Tips on How to Clean Jewelry: Don't wear jewelry in water

Water is jewelry's worst enemy. While washing your hands, taking a shower, or getting into a pool, make sure all of your jewelry is off. Keeping them on is practically asking your jewelry to tarnish. If you know that you'll be getting into a water-related activity, either don't wear any jewelry or bring a small pouch to store it in while you get wet.

#4 Tips on How to Clean Jewelry: Chemicals can cause jewelry tarnishing

An assumption commonly made about how to clean jewelry is to use chemical substances. However, this is particularly risky as solvents can cause jewelry to become dull and stained. Precious metals that are often used in mens beaded bracelet would result in discoloration, and direct contact with harmful chemicals may permanently damage the surface of the jewelry.

Household cleaning products as well as sports activities (especially swimming) can also be too harsh for the gemstones, silver, and gold beads on your mens beaded bracelet, so it is important to remember to remove delicate and precious jewelry before pursuing these activities for longer preservation. Everyday substances such as hairspray, lotion, perfume, and cosmetics can also contain chemicals that are harmful and not helpful towards jewelry polishing either. It is highly recommended that all these substances are applied prior to putting on your jewelry.

#5 Tips on How to Clean Jewelry: Wear it after you put on cologne

You've probably heard this before, but if you haven't, the alcohol in most colognes and perfumes results in jewelry tarnish. The best practice is to put jewelry on right before you leave. This way, all water and alcohol in your cologne will evaporate, and it won't cause tarnishing. If you ever end up spraying it right on top, your shiny pieces will be ruined, so always be careful.

#6 Tips on How to Clean Jewelry: Avoid light 

Knowing the effect of light is an important component to consider in addition to jewelry polishing. It can affect the durability and color of the gemstones on your mens beaded bracelet, and cause them to fade, darken, or potentially create irreversible damages.

#7 Tips on How to Clean Jewelry: Avoid heat 

Same thing as light. As heat can remove natural moisture from the healing gemstones, alteration to the color of the mens beaded bracelet and silver accessories will occur. Excessive heat and extreme temperature changes can fracture the healing gemstones, so other than knowing how to clean jewelry, they should be stored in a cool and dry area.

#8 Tips on How to Clean Jewelry: Remove when sweating, especially sterling silver ones

Just like water, sweat can cause tarnish too. This is especially problematic with sterling silver jewelry. To protect jewelry, you need to take it off on a scorching day, and you begin sweating. If you're planning on exercising or taking a long jog, please leave your precious jewelry at home. Wearing it will only cause its life to deteriorate.

#9 Tips on How to Clean Jewelry: Remove jewelry during physical activities

In all physical activities such as sports or exercise, all your jewelry is at risk from multiple factors. It could be exposed to sweat, water, collision, and possibly dangerous chemicals. As a result, you could end up with jewelry tarnish in many ways. Here is the best thing to do; take them off and put them away or not wear them to these activities as a whole.

#10 Tips on How to Clean Jewelry: Take it off before sleeping

While sleeping, a lot of us tend to move a lot. I actually once knocked over a glass of water while wearing a ring in my sleep. I woke up to see a tarnished ring and broken glass. Taking it off could provide you with more comfort too. So, before going to bed, take everything off and place it safely in a jewelry box.

With a few simple precautions such as avoiding chemicals, collisions, etc., you can easily save your jewelry. Remember that taking care of it is essential to stay in its original beautiful form for as long as possible.

Jewelry Care Tips: 10 Most Asked Questions on How to Clean Jewelry

Now that I'm a jewelry tarnish cleaning expert, many people come to me asking for the best ways to clean tarnished jewelry. I'll tell you all my secrets:

#1 How to clean tarnished jewelry?

How to clean gold jewelry?

How to clean silver jewelry?

How to clean chopper jewelry?

Chopper is usually used as a blend with other metals. To clean this, you can use lemon juice mixed with salt. Dip a cloth into it and wipe out the tarnished part with ease. Now you know how to clean copper jewelry but be careful because the combination may harm your gemstone or cause it to corrode.

#2 Can you clean a gold chain with toothpaste?

Never do this! This is a common myth, but in reality, toothpaste will destroy your chain and cause it to tarnish. Instead of cleaning it, you'd be making it worse.

#3 Does rubbing alcohol damage jewelry?

Rubbing alcohol is a common disinfectant that won't do any harm to pure metals such as gold. However, other metals such as gold plated, chopper, and other impure jewelry will get severely damaged if it reacts with rubbing alcohol. Please don't use it at all to be on the safe side.

#4 Can you use hydrogen peroxide to clean jewelry?

Hydrogen peroxide is a popular method to clean jewelry. It is safe for a variety of metals and is cheap and readily available. Place your jewelry in hydrogen peroxide for a few minutes, and then place it in warm water. This removes tarnish and disinfects it too.

#5 Does cleaning silver with baking soda damage?

Not at all! Baking soda is a standard and eco-friendly method to clean silver jewelry and other silverware. It is a great way to remove dirt and tarnish.

#6 Can I use vinegar to clean jewelry?

It isn't recommended that you do this. Vinegar may work sometimes, but it usually just weakens the metal and completely ruins the stone because vinegar is acidic.

#7 How do you clean and sanitize jewelry?

Hand sanitizer works fine with pure metals, and so does rubbing alcohol. Still, it is best to opt for a disinfectant such as hydrogen peroxide to clean and sanitize your jewelry of any material.

#8 What types of jewelry doesn't get tarnished?

Pure metals never get tarnished, but if that isn't within your budget, stainless steel, tungsten, and ceramics work too.

#9 What do professional jewelers use to clean jewelry

Professionals tend to take large sums because they use different methods. They often use ultrasonic cleaners. These produce high-frequency sound waves and chemicals that professionally remove tarnish, grime, and dirt from your jewelry. 

#10 What is the best homemade jewelry cleaner?

You can use a range of products, but the most basic is baking soda or vinegar. If that will harm your metal, simple soap and water are the way to go. You can find out more about this here.

There you have it! All my jewelry care tips at your disposal. I understand that it isn't that easy to maintain your jewelry, and the task may sound daunting, but you must follow these steps for a longer life for your jewelry. It would be best if you learned how to clean jewelry so that you can protect it.

It's hard for us men to get used to all this because the tread of wearing jewelry is much newer for us than women but don't worry. By following these jewelry care tips properly, your jewelry will last forever.