With the advent of Swarovski crystals, luxury and beauty have become more accessible. Any piece of jewelry with these crystals turns into a masterpiece of jewelry. Due to the fact that the material is coated with a thin layer of gold or rhodium, which creates a decorative and protective effect, its care requires a special approach.
The manufacturer's recommendations will help you understand how to care for Swarovski crystals in order to keep the jewelry in excellent condition for a long time. Choose a convenient way to clean or care for your crystals every day.
Lint-free napkin
Non-woven cloths are quite often used in cleaning jewelry. You can use both regular cosmetic wipes and special wipes. You can buy them in jewelry stores and shops in the city.
To avoid leaving fingerprints on the crystals, wear cotton gloves. Polish the stone in a circular motion until it becomes shiny and no marks are visible.
It is recommended to clean the crystals with a napkin quite often, at least once a week when wearing the product every day. This method is quite gentle and will allow you to keep the jewelry in proper condition.
How to clean Swarovski crystals
If you have among your costume jewelry items decorated with crystals from the world famous Austrian jewelry brand “Swarovski”, you are probably faced with the need to clean and polish stones that have become tarnished over time. Not all owners of luxurious sparkling necklaces, earrings, and rings know how to properly care for faded crystals.
If you are among those who are faced with this issue and want to find out for yourself how to clean Swarovski crystals correctly and carefully, giving them their former shine, we will try in this article to give competent advice and recommendations on caring for the products.
Tips on the topic: how to care for Swarovski crystals
The first thing you need to know is that Swarovski crystals are not friendly with water, sprays, varnishes, creams, and also do not tolerate prolonged contact with sunlight. Based on this information and finding out for yourself some of the features of wearing items with stones, you will be able to preserve the radiating shine and charm of crystals for a long time.
So, here are the tips :
— jewelry with Swarovski stones removed from the body must be wrapped in soft material and placed away from direct sunlight;
— it is dangerous for stones to be in proximity to other jewelry (they can easily get scratched);
— products with crystals are not recommended to be worn on hands or necks treated with cream;
- put on jewelry immediately before going out into the world, treating it with care (crystals do not withstand falls or shocks, and often break or fall out of the frame);
— stones are absolutely not suitable for working out in the gym, working in the garden, or doing household chores (after all, they are afraid of high temperatures and friction);
— when going south, you should not wear Swarovski jewelry to the sea (salt water will cause the stones to appear characteristically ingrained in yellow and the attractive glow will disappear).
This is the main list of requirements regarding wearing products with Swarovski stones. By following these simple rules, you will enjoy the luxurious shine of crystals for a long time.
Recommendations on the topic: how to clean Swarovski crystals
Now let’s take a closer look at the question of how to give dirty stones their former brightness and restore their lost shine.
Basic recommendations:
— Swarovski stones do not tolerate the touch of fingers; conspicuous traces are immediately imprinted on their sparkling surface.
If such contact does occur, immediately wipe the crystals with a delicate microfiber, a special cloth for crystal care, or an ordinary soft flannel cloth, otherwise the stones will fade over time;
— jewelry should only be washed with a solution of liquid crystal soap. The liquid is applied to a soft napkin, flannel and carefully, without applying force, cleaned of dirt and fingerprints. After this, the decoration is carefully rinsed in running water, blotted and dried wrapped in a dry, soft cloth;
— caring for jewelry with Swarovski stones coated with gold or rhodium plated involves periodically wiping them;
— products with stones that have a special coating (giving them a mirror reflection) should be cleaned carefully using a flannel cloth or microfiber cloth. First you need to blow off the dust particles and remaining quartz particles and only then carefully wipe the stones until they shine;
- crystals based on a colored AB coating (having a characteristic rainbow color - a mirror base on the back side), it is advisable to treat the inside with ordinary transparent varnish. This trick will help preserve the beauty of the stones for a long time.
If you want to give your jewelry a shine and restore its former appearance, you should not only wash and wipe it properly, but also occasionally show it to an experienced jeweler you trust for inspection and restoration.
Using our recommendations for cleaning and caring for Swarovski crystals, you will wear your favorite products for a long time and enjoy their enchanting beauty.
Soap solution and soft toothbrush
Would need:
- A soft-bristle toothbrush (you can use an old brush that you won't be using)
- Soap solution (dishwashing detergent or liquid soap, proportions 1:2)
After preparing the cleaning solution, carefully use a brush to begin washing the crystal. Do not put a lot of effort into cleaning; light pressure on the brush is enough to get rid of even visually noticeable dirt.
Washing with soapy water is the best method to get rid of stubborn stains. However, it is often not recommended to use the method, since it can destroy the thin protective layer. In addition, the solution must be soft, since a highly concentrated solution can damage the product.
Gold and silver jewelry
Jewelry made to resemble gold is especially loved. Its price is low, and an ordinary person will not be able to tell the difference. The same applies to items with silver plating. It is not recommended to rub them with brushes, so the objects are dipped in a solution of warm water, mild liquid soap and a small amount of ammonia. The jewelry should lie in this solution for several minutes, soften, after which it is washed in clean water and wiped.
Imitation gold jewelry can be wiped with a sponge soaked in white wine vinegar, then rinsed in water. After this, the item should dry naturally, without wiping.
Some useful tips and notes
- Wearing jewelry with Swarovski crystals should be the last thing, that is, after makeup has been applied, the hairstyle is ready and hairspray, perfume and other perfumes have been used.
- It is recommended to remove crystals before visiting the pool, swimming in the sea or taking a bath.
- It is best to store jewelry with Swarovski crystals in a soft fabric bag, which prevents scratches and chips.
- For cleaning, do not use hard sponges or sanding material, which will quickly destroy the top layer of the crystal.
- Do not use alcohol, paste or other solutions containing abrasive substances to clean products.
- Do not soak Swarovski crystals in detergent or plain water.
- When the crystals are heated, the protective coating is destroyed.
Love your jewelry, give it the opportunity to look great without expiration date.
How to store
Along with the question of how to clean jewelry, the question of how to store it at home is always relevant. There are special cases and jewelry boxes that are advisable to use. They are equipped with hooks, compartments, and shelves that allow you to properly arrange items, preventing them from touching and damaging due to constant friction. Such cases are also good because you can easily find the thing you need in them without digging through a heap of earrings and chains.
Choose a dry, but not hot, place away from sunlight for storage. Jewelry must be removed at night, before visiting the sauna, shower, bath, or before going to the pool. It is advisable to touch its surface only with clean hands.
Gems
Precious stones, like metal, can become dull and stained. To restore the original shine to diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds, soak your jewelry in sparkling water overnight.
The metal alloys from which jewelry is made may contain particles of silver and copper. When in contact with air and sebum, they oxidize, and they develop an unsightly green or red coating. You can remove it with lemon essential oil.
Take a deep container and fill it 1/3 with water. Add a few drops of essential oil to the liquid. Place jewelry in it and leave for 5-10 minutes. After this, polish the metal with a soft toothbrush (preferably one that has already been used for its intended purpose many times) and a fleecy towel.
Features of the impact on models with stones
It’s not just gold and silver plating that needs special treatment. If you don’t know what and how to process semi-precious stones at home, you can negatively affect the appearance of a beautiful thing.
The following rules apply here:
- The use of chemicals will have to be abandoned. Even soda can cause an undesirable reaction from the mineral.
- It is best to reduce the care process to washing the product in clean water, followed by polishing with a microfiber cloth.
- Swarovski crystals are occasionally treated with ammonia. Like any glass, the material becomes more shiny from such exposure and repels dust.
- Turquoise must be cleaned regularly with a dry cloth, otherwise it will change color under the influence of sweat and sebum.
- Cubic zirconia reacts well to soap solution.
- Citrine is not at all picky and can be cleaned at home with washing powder and a toothbrush.
To store jewelry you need to choose warm and dry places. In this case, it is necessary to use special cases or boxes, consisting of many sectors, and upholstered with soft material. Then objects will not rub against each other and slowly collapse.
Why does silver darken?
According to statistics, silver jewelry darkens after six months of wear. If your chain has changed color before, this indicates poor quality of the product. After all, all factory chains are treated with a special solution (rhodium film). The main reasons for darkening of metal include:
- natural wear and tear of the protective rhodium film, after which the silver is exposed to “attacks” from the environment;
- severe sweating in the neck area, containing acids - they affect the color of silver;
- incorrect functioning of the kidneys or liver - there are more toxins in the body, which change the shade of the jewelry;
- the impact of sulfur-containing substances on jewelry - the chain can darken even when it is lying in the closet.
About 50% of the Russian population attaches magical significance to silver. In this light, the darkening of the chain speaks of the evil eye or damage caused by an ill-wisher.
Follow the rules
Stones in gold jewelry quickly become dirty. If you decide to do the cleaning yourself, follow the basic rules:
- An aqueous solution of ammonia 1:6 will help remove dirty deposits The method is suitable for cubic zirconia, citrine, zircon, ruby.
- Do not soak in aggressive solutions - if the stones are glued, they will fall off.
- Do not use ammonia or abrasive substances when cleaning soft stones: coral, pearls, turquoise, amber, hematite, etc.
- Do not clean gold with stones with sharp objects : a needle, a toothpick.
- Do not wash transparent stones (aquamarine, alexandrite, etc.) with soapy solutions - the shine and play of light disappear. They are cleaned with starch, microfiber, flannel.
- Maintain regular care - jewelry that is worn every day should be cleaned monthly.
Jewelry will become dirty less often if you follow the recommendations:
- Remove jewelry when coming home, taking a bath/shower, going to the beach, solarium, or any place exposed to sea water, UV and sweat.
- Protect from contact with perfumes and creams.
- Store away from ultraviolet radiation, moisture, on soft pads/velvet.
Expensive gold items with half-hidden stones, including diamonds, are best left to a specialist. The cleaning service is inexpensive and guarantees safety.
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