You have a beautiful, new piece of jewelry! But how do you clean it like the pros? If you visit our shop, we are always happy to clean your jewelry from us at no charge, just stop in!

Each piece of jewelry created by Mineralogy is made with quality and longevity in mind. Taking proper care of your jewelry is very important to ensure that it will last for a long time. As much as you will love your piece and want to wear it all of the time, it is important to understand the environments that are not good for the care of your fine jewelry. We recommend having your fine jewelry reviewed every 6 months—one year for the checking of settings.

While it’s important to have your jewelry professionally cleaned and inspected every 6 months to one year, here are a few tips on how to keep your fine jewelry sparkly from your home!

A combination of mild soap (such as Dawn), warm water, and a soft toothbrush may be used for cleaning. You can soak most of your jewelry (do not soak turquoise) in this solution for 30 minutes before taking out and scrubbing gently around the stones and the setting with the soft toothbrush. Rinse clean with warm water and pat dry with a soft cloth. Refrain from using chemical jewelry cleaners, store bought cleaners, and home ultrasonic cleaners.

 We suggest removing your jewelry when….

 —Showering or bathing. Soap and lotion may build up underneath the settings that may be difficult to clean at home. Delicate stones such as opals should not be submerged in water.

—Exercising. Any strenuous activity including cardio, yoga, lifting weights is an opportunity for your jewelry to catch on something or bend. Any continuous pressure applied to your ring’s band may cause damage. Besides damage to your ring, you could injure your hand or finger if you are lifting weights and get your ring/finger caught in the equipment. 

—Sleeping. Fingers swell in the night causing discomfort while wearing rings. Prongs can catch on material while you are sleeping and a stone may come loose or fall out without you noticing.

—Applying perfumes, lotions, oils, makeup, or hair products. These can all build up product underneath your ring or on the surface. Put your jewelry on after you have finished bathing, applying lotion, spraying perfume and hairspray.

—Cooking, baking, or doing dishes 

—Cleaning, especially with bleach or other harsh chemicals 

— Swimming 

—Gardening, painting, throwing pottery, or any activity where abrasive materials can interact with your jewelry. 

 Avoiding impact and pressure is important to the maintenance of your jewelry. Gold, gemstones, and even diamonds can chip, crack, or scratch if they are knocked hard enough or at the wrong angle against another object that has a harder surface. Harsh chemicals such as bleach can damage metals and weaken settings, causing loose or lost stones. Chlorinated water can react chemically with metal, which can change the color or weaken the settings. 

Have questions? Send us an email at mineralogydesign@gmail.com