How to Care for Your Jewelry

• Do NOT sleep or bathe while wearing your jewelry!  A lot of people like to wear their jewelry day and night, but this constant exposure to heat, water, chemicals and rubbing is going to cause permanent damage. 

• Jewelry should be the last item you put on after getting dressed and the first item you remove before undressing.  Apply hair spray, makeup and perfume before you put on your jewelry.

• Pearls are quite porous.  Avoid getting perfume or other chemicals on them, which can destroy or stain the nacre.

• To help retard tarnish on sterling silver pieces, store them in a plastic zip-lock bag.

• Soft stones can easily be scratched so store pieces separately.

• Jewelry is not a toy and should be kept away from infants and small children.  Never leave infants and small children with jewelry unattended as it can pose a choking hazard.  The Swarovski crystals used in some pieces contain lead.  While my jewelry looks good enough to eat, don't put it in your mouth or eat it! 

• Always remove your jewelry before using any bleach product.  Bleach can cause gold and other metal alloys to break down, leaving the metal irreparably damaged.  This includes swimming pools and hot tubs where chlorine products are used. 

• Always remove your jewelry before using any other chemicals such as rubbing alcohol and acetone, which can cause permanent damage.

• Use common sense when wearing your jewelry.  My pieces are made to last with care, but are often constructed of delicate materials.  For example, avoid wearing a piece where it will get pulled or struck against a hard surface.  This can cause permanent damage.

If Your Jewelry Needs Cleaning:

• Gently wipe off makeup and skin oils after each wearing with a soft, clean, 100% cotton cloth.  Do not use paper towels, tissue or cloths that can scratch. 

• To remove fingerprints, light grease or dirt, add a small amount of mild liquid soap to a half cup of warm water.  Dampen a clean, 100% cotton cloth with the mixture, and gently wipe your jewelry.  Rinse your cloth with water and gently clean.  Dry completely with a clean, soft cloth before storing.

• Never use bleach to clean jewelry.

• Never use toothpaste to clean jewelry.  It contains tiny, abrasive bits which can damage stones, pearls and metals.

• Do not use any soaking method to clean jewelry that has soft stones or that is on a stringing cord.  Extended soaking in any solution may harm the polish on many stones and crystal coatings.  Soaking a necklace made with stringing cord will weaken the cord and make it more susceptible to breaking.

• Take care when cleaning sterling silver.  It is a soft metal and can be easily scratched or bent.  Polish gently with a 100% cotton cloth and a nonabrasive cleaner made especially for silver.  Wipe the cleaner off thoroughly.

• Do not use ultrasonic cleaners, which can damage many stones.