This Detailed Guide will show you how to care for Aziza Jewelry in each specific metal- especially your new wire jewelry pieces.
For General Cleaning of 14k Solid Gold, Sterling Silver, Copper and Brass Metal: I recommend The Sunshine Polishing Cloth . I use it to polish my sterling silver and solid gold jewelry as it has left the best shine and luster out of the many different kinds of polishing cloths I have tried. (My recommendation for a 14k Gold Filled Polishing Cloth is the blue cloth further down below)
Seriously, I love the Sunshine Cloth SO MUCH that I even did a video tutorial to show you guys the Detailed ways I use it to clean my silver wire jewelry in this video here:
Below, I break down how to care for each metal by section: 14k Solid Gold, 14k Gold Filled, Sterling Silver, Copper and Brass Jewelry. As always, if you have any questions, I am here to help- just message me!
14k Solid Gold Chains:
Avoid dulling of the luster of your 14k solid gold jewelry by avoiding wearing it in the shower, pool, hot tub, sauna, etc. While wearing it in water will not turn the color of your 14k solid yellow or rose gold necklace/chain, it can gradually remove the top rhodium plating on 14k white gold over time (many years) to reveal the yellow gold underneath. Wearing solid gold in treated water sources can also corrode metal over time.
I also do not recommend steam cleaning 14k white gold as the pressure of the steam cleaning combined with hot water temps will remove the rhodium plating cover on 14k white gold pieces over time.
Avoid wearing your necklace 24/7 because jewelry, like clothes, needs a chance to breathe! It will last much longer and be in better shape for the long haul. :)
To prevent chains from tangling while not in use, store in the clear poly bag that came with your purchase. If you need more than one polybag, they are available here:
14k Solid Gold Earrings:
Your new 14k yellow gold, rose gold or white gold earrings will maintain natural luster with minimal polishing, however, if they do require the occasional polish, I recommend using the sunshine cloth. Avoid wearing 14k solid gold earrings in the shower, pool, hot tub, etc because even with a snug earring back, water can loosen earrings from your ear hole and make it easier for them to loosen and fall off, slipping down an empty drain.
However, if you choose to ignore this advice and must wear them in the shower/pool/hot tub, etc, dont worry, they will not change color but the luster may fade over time. This is easily corrected with a quick gentle polish. The hardness of the metal may also change over time because of the hardness or softeess of your water supply.
Avoid wearing your earrings 24/7 because oil and dead skin cells build up quicker on earrings than any other piece of jewelry and constant wear will wear down jewelry quicker and cause it to accumulate more oil and dirt buildup than any other piece of jewelry. Jewelry needs a chance to breathe just like clothing or any other thing you wear all the time.
Avoid losing 14k Solid Gold earrings by storing them in the same location (a jewelry box or tray is highly recommended) within a poly bag (to prevent tarnish or excess exposure to the elements) or in a cloth or organza pouch (like the ones below that are included with each order)
If you plan to travel with jewelry in your luggage or plan to take jewelry on and off multiple times at a location besides your home (for instance while out clothes shopping), carrying poly bags or a cloth muslin/organza storage pouch will help keep your jewelry all in one place to help prevent losing them.
While wearing dangle earrings, or hoop earrings, be sure to use the clear rubber ear backs included with your order, to ensure the earrings stay on your ear. If you have long or curly hair, or a complex hairstyle, its easy to snag long dangle earrings and for them to accidentally pop out of your ear. Wearing the clear rubber ear stoppers that came with your order will help prevent this.
You can order more poly bags and rubber ear stoppers for dangle earrings if you need them.
14k Gold Filled Chains:
You can prevent your gold filled chains from darkening quickly by not spraying perfume, chemicals or oils on to your body while wearing jewelry. Apply all perfume, hair spray, oils, etc, on your body before putting jewelry on.Avoiding wearing it in the shower, pool, hot tub, etc. to prevent any chemical reaction of the metal from treated water. However, if you must wear this necklace in the shower/pool/hot tub, etc, the chemical reactions of hard water or chemically treated water exposure will lead to frequent tarnishing and it will need regular polishing.
Avoid tangling of chains by storing them in the clear poly bags that come with every purchase. Order more here: Poly bags. Gold filled is more prone to tarnish and if you have a delicate, feminine chain, it will darken more quickly if worn continuously and exposed to bodily oils, sweat, dead skin, hard water, etc. Jewelry needs time to breathe, just like your clothing does.
Gently polish on occasion with a soft polishing cloth. This gentle polishing cloth is what I recommend to gently buff gold filled jewelry. Only the outer blue layers of the polishing cloth should be used to polish gold filled. Another option for polishing is to use fabric from an soft old t-shirt.
Gently polish on occasion with a soft polishing cloth. I really like the Mayfield brand. This gentle polishing cloth is what I recommend to gently buff gold filled jewelry. Only the outer blue layers of the polishing cloth should be used to polish gold filled specifically. Alternately, you can also use an old thin soft t-shirt to gently buff gold filled, but results may not be as good.
14k Gold Filled Earrings:
Prevent gold filled earrings from darkening or tarnishing quickly by storing them in poly bags when not in use and lightly polishing with the outer blue layers of the polishing cloth recommended above or a very soft old t-shirt.Avoid spraying perfumes, chemicals or oils on to your body while wearing jewelry. Apply all perfume, hair spray, oils, etc, on your body before putting gold filled jewelry on. This will prevent tarnish and product buildup on your jewelry.
If you plan to travel with jewelry in your luggage or plan to take jewelry on and off multiple times at a location besides your home (for instance while out clothes shopping), carrying poly bags or a cloth muslin/organza storage pouch will help keep your jewelry all in one place to help prevent losing them.
Avoid wearing earrings in the shower, hot tub, pool as the water can loosen jewelry from your earlobes and make it easier for them to slip down a drain. This will also prevent any chemical reaction of the metal from treated water.
Sterling Silver Chains:
Sterling Silver chains tends to tarnish pretty quickly unless polished and regularly stored in a poly bag. I recommend frequently and gently polishing with the sunshine cloth. Avoid wearing these chains 24/7 because they need a chance to breathe like your clothing does.
Avoid tangling of chains by storing in poly bags when not in use. If you wish to wear these necklaces together in layers, avoid tangling by wearing chains with different patterns.
Avoiding wearing it in the shower, pool, hot tub, etc. to prevent any chemical reaction of the metal from treated water. However, if you must wear this necklace in the shower/pool/hot tub, etc, the chemical reactions of hard water or chemically treated water exposure will lead to frequent tarnishing and it will need regular cleaning and/or polishing.
Avoid spraying perfumes, chemicals or oils on to your body while wearing jewelry. Apply all perfume, hair spray, oils, etc, on your body before putting jewelry on. This will prevent tarnish and product buildup on your jewelry.
Sterling Silver Earrings:
Avoid wearing earrings in the shower, pool, hot tub, etc because even with a snug earring back, water can loosen earrings from your ear hole and make it easier for them to loosen and fall off, slipping down an empty drain.
Avoid wearing your earrings 24/7 because oil and dead skin cells build up quicker on earrings than any other piece of jewelry and constant wear will wear down jewelry quicker and cause it to accumulate more oil and dirt buildup than any other piece of jewelry. Jewelry needs a chance to breathe just like clothing or any other thing you wear all the time.
Avoid losing Sterling Silver earrings by storing them in the same location (a jewelry box or tray is highly recommended) and use a poly bag or a cloth or organza pouch (like the ones below that are included with each order) . Use the clear rubber ear stoppers that came with your purchase to prevent long dangly earrings from falling out of ears. If you need to order more they are available here
Avoid spraying perfumes, chemicals or oils on to your body while wearing jewelry. Apply all perfume, hair spray, oils, etc, on your body before putting jewelry on. This will prevent tarnish and product buildup on your jewelry.
Cleaning Sterling Silver:
If it gets very tarnished and needs to be cleaned, use a store bought jewelry cleaner designed specifically for sterling silver. I recommend this one.
However, if you want to $ave money and have time on your hands, I created a video showing you how to clean sterling silver jewelry with common household items at home...you probably already have them all on hand already. Check out the video here
Sterling Silver Cleaning Don'ts:
I do not recommend using toothpaste or a toothbrush to clean sterling silver jewelry. Sterling silver is a softer metal and toothpaste is sooo abrasive that it will scratch this metal, leaving small pits and making it like a magnet to easily attract even more tarnish, dirt and oil. This also makes it more difficult to keep it clean and tarnish free in the future.
Avoid using a toothbrush, because the abrasive and vigorous motion of the toothbrush can scratch this soft metal as well as loosen and remove gemstones from settings.
Copper and Brass:
Follow all recommendations for Sterling Silver care above.
Jewelry with Gemstones:
Some crystals and gemstones are heat treated and dyed. In order to prevent the color changing with cleaning your gemstones, spot test gemstones with cleaning products before cleaning the entire gemstones to see if they will change color. Then proceed from there.
*Special Note for Pearls:
Do not use chemicals to clean jewelry which has pearls, as this may remove the natural nacre and any artificial dyes added to colored freshwater pearls.
If you have any questions, feel free to message me!
xoxo!
~Aziza
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