Featuring Jewel Brite Biodegradable, Nontoxic Silver Polish, Sunshine Cloths, and 3M Anti-Tarnish Tabs

Wholesale and Retail

Jewel Brite Nontoxic and Biodegradable

Sunshine Cloth Jewelry Polishing Cloth

3M Anti-Tarnish Tabs 1" X 1"

Caring for and Cleaning Your Jewelry

Jewelry care and cleaning takes a little thought and a little time. But considering the time and expense of finding and purchasing these little highlights of life, and the sentimental value of jewelry gifts, it is well worth it to take a few minutes once in a while to care for them.

When removing jewelry, always set it in a protective container- especially when taking them off at the sink! Countless precious rings have disappeared down the drain or through a heater vent! It can happen to you.

Have your jewelry checked for loose stones occasionally. You can shake the pieces yourself and listen for rattling noises, too, which indicate loose stones. Have a jeweler tighten the prongs if that occurs.

Beaded jewelry should be restrung occasionally, depending on frequency of wear, the type of cord, and the type of beads on the cord. Stones and metals will cut through even stainless steel jewelry cable eventually!

All jewelry should be handled with care. Even though we are dealing with metal and stones, damage can occur. Jewelry metals can be scratched, and gemstones can be cracked or chipped. Even diamonds can be damaged if hit! They will break along any flaw line. Sudden temperature changes can shatter stones. Steam, ovens, hot tubs, etc. should not be followed up with a rinse in cold water. At least not for the jewelry!

Teach your children to handle all jewelry gently and to immediately put it away in an overnight bag after removing it when staying away from home. If they are given a small travel jewelry box for that purpose it will impress upon them the importance of taking care of it.

Gold is soft and scratches fairly easily. Both gold and platinum should be cleaned with a soft cloth rather than a brush. A mild detergent or sudsy ammonia are safe to use on gold and platinum, but do not get the ammonia on stones and pearls. Having it's own bag for storage also protects gold from scratches from other jewelry. Wear gloves while doing gardening or other activities that expose the jewelry to being rubbed against harsh materials.

It is best not to wear your jewelry when cleaning house or using other chemicals. They should also be removed before showering, shampooing, and using hairsprays, perfumes, and cremes. These things can dull and damage your treasures. The chlorine in a swimming pool or hot tub can damage some metals, resulting in breakage of prongs and mountings. Never use bleach to clean jewelry. Even polishing compounds need to be washed off the jewelry after using.

Hematite is a soft ore of iron. It is polished to a beautiful luster when used for jewelry, but can be scratched or scraped. It can rust if left damp. Clean it with just a soft polishing cloth. When I clean the silver on my hematite jewelry (see tips on Jewel Brite,) I do rinse the hematite in water too, and then blow it dry in high heat. This will make the hematite hot to the touch. Allow it to cool before wearing! I leave it out overnight to finish air drying, and I've never had a problem with it rusting.

One time saving tip: Sterling Silver and Gold Fill both tarnish, or oxidize, when exposed to air. Did you know that storing thoroughly dry jewelry in a small ziploc bag will prevent tarnishing to a great degree? Even more protection is afforded by adding a 3M Anti-Tarnish Tab to the baggy.

Pearls, real or simulated, should not be dipped in jewelry cleaning chemicals. I recommend removing tarnish on the metals near a pearl or soft gems with Jewel Brite or a
Sunshine Cloth.

Jewel Brite is a nontoxic, biodegradable tarnish remover that can be used on the metals near soft stones and pearls. It will not scratch them when used with a soft cloth or for some metals, a soft cleaning brush or soft toothbrush. Jewel Brite is used for silver, gold, bronze, copper, chrome, stainless steel, and aluminum. It cleans marble and takes ink marks off of surfaces safely, even permanent ink! It even takes tar off of cars! Jewel Brite is all natural, absolutely free from any injurious substance, and child safe. Do not use it on 24K Gold plated wares.

Document what jewelry you own with a photo. If it is lost or stolen, this will help you to remember what you had and prove it to the insurance company.

At all times, enjoy and appreciate what you have!