Congratulations on purchasing your very first wire wrap pendant! It’s so shiny and new. So how do you keep it that way? Stay tuned and I’m going to tell you.
Hopefully you know what the gemstone is and the kind of metal used in your designer pendant, but if you do not then please follow the most gentle style of cleaning possible.
Here is a list of tips to help keep your pendant from needing heavy cleaning or from scratching your pendant.
- When you get ready, always put on perfume and lotions before you add accessories as the fragrances very often contain chemicals that can hurt the finish and sometimes even eat at it.
- Take jewelry off before showering or getting in the water(especially pools and hot tubs), exercising, and going to bed
- Wipe down after every wear with a soft cloth to gently remove any oils from your skin or that perfume and lotion
- Do not store with multiple pieces in a box on top of one another
First I would like to suggest removing the pendant from the chain or cord if possible. This way you can clean each piece without accidentally scratching the gemstone. If you know what material the chain is, you may clean them alone in a jewelry cleaner made specific to that metal following the cleaners instructions to ensure the necklace stays beautiful. If you are unsure of the metal then follow the directions below for the most gentle cleaning.
The most gentle type of cleaning is either a very soft cloth alone or gentle polishing cloth or a mild solution of warm water and detergent/soap with no fragrance or chlorine and if needed a super soft toothbrush to get into the spirals and crevices. This method is also ok with plated or alloy materials as long as you do not soak them, but wipe them with a soft cloth with the solution. If you have a very soft gem like an opal or pearl do not soak the piece just use the solution on a soft cloth and wipe it. Now rinse the pieces and dry immediately with a clean soft cloth.
An ultrasonic machine works well for copper, sterling silver, filled metals and precious metals. You can use the gentle soap solution above, or plain water. If you are unsure of the gemstone you have or you have a soft gem please do not use this method.
If you have a hard gem and sterling or copper you can use a paste jewelry cleaner for bad tarnish but be sure to still use a soft brush or cloth. Avoid any polishing materials that have harsh chemicals or pumice in them as this may still scratch the gem. You can always use this method on the chain only and then clean the pendant piece with a soft polishing cloth.
There are many homemade solutions on the internet that claim they work and they do get the tarnish off, but they are often very acidic and should be used with the utmost caution as they can pit or ruin your jewelry when done wrong. Also always rinse after with cold water so the solution doesn’t stay on and cause it to tarnish quicker than before.
Just a quick note when cleaning your pendant, if it has two different metals it is best to use a polishing cloth as the metals can sometimes electro plate or discolor one another if placed into a cleaning solution. I have accidentally made my silver yellow or pink from the copper when using a liquid cleaner for a piece and it is not easy to get it off.
I hope this article will help you to take care of your precious wire wrapped pendant.
Have a blessed day and check out all my blogs to learn how to clean Gold Fill jewelry, head over to the custom design services I offer or shop my collections.
Dawn Rosell