How to Clean Earrings: A Step-by-Step Guide
When it comes to earrings, we tend to think of their beauty and how they complement an outfit. However, maintaining cleanliness is as important as maintaining its appearance, at the end of aesthetics. Earrings go through piercings, accumulating sweat, oil, bacteria, and product residue over time. Regular cleaning prevents infections and keeps jewellery looking its best. Here’s a fun and easy guide on how to clean your earrings.
Why is cleaning earrings important?
Cleaning earrings is important as they are constantly in contact with your skin. The close proximity makes it prone to dirt, skin oils, hair products and makeup residue. Over time, this buildup leads to irritation, infections and damage to ear piercings.
Earrings, no matter the style or material, can easily accumulate residue from lotions, sweat, hair products and natural skin oils. Even if you don’t wear these earrings every day, dust and grime can settle on them, thus making regular cleaning as fresh as ever.
How often should you clean your earrings?
If you wear your earrings daily, make sure to clean it once a week. For those stunning customised or normal earrings that you wear every now and then, it’s a good practice to clean them after every use before storing them away. This simple habit can help maintain the shine and keep looking new. For new piercings, extra precautions should be taken. Clean the area in and around the piercing regularly to prevent buildup that can lead to infections. For healed or existing piercings, a weekly cleaning routine will keep your earrings in top condition.
Ways to clean earrings
Wondering how to clean earrings without making a trip to the jewellery store? Well, let me tell you that keeping your earrings cleaner at home is much easier than you think. The cleaning makes earrings shine, irritation-free and stay healthy for a long time. Here is a fresh, simple guide on how to clean earrings at home effectively.
Gentle cleaning for personalised earrings
- Start by preparing a mild soap and warm water solution.
- Let the earrings soak in it for 5-10 minutes to loosen dirt and oils.
- Use a soft toothbrush or cotton swab, gently clean around the intricate designs without scrubbing too hard.
- Rinse under lukewarm water and dry with a soft cloth. Regular cleaning preserves the beauty of the personalised pieces without risking any damage.
Easy care for butterfly earrings
Butterfly earrings, due to their delicate backs, can collect residue just like any other earring. To clean butterfly earrings at home, remove the backs and soak both the earrings and backs in a gentle dish soap and warm water mixture. After soaking, softly brush them with a gentle toothbrush to remove buildup. Rinse thoroughly and allow it to air dry before reassembling. Keeping the backs clean helps prevent irritation and keeps the earrings secure.
Signs your earrings need cleaning
Earrings represent style and personality however, how to know when it’s time to keep the earrings in good condition is a telltale sign that your earrings need attention, along with tips on how to clean earrings effectively, especially when it comes to customized earrings.
1. Dull appearance
One of the early signs that your earrings need cleaning is a noticeable dullness. If you notice that your earrings have lost their lustre, it’s time to take action. Dirt, oils and product residue can accumulate over time, thus dulling its shine. To restore their brilliance, you can understand how to clean earrings at home with a simple soap and water solution mentioned previously. Additionally, makeup, hairspray and other products can leave behind residue that dulls their shine. Knowing how to clean earrings after a special occasion can help maintain their beauty for future wear.
2. Unpleasant odour
If you can smell a unpleasant smell coming from your earrings, its a clear indication that it needs cleaning. The odour is a result of sweat, skin oils and bacteria. To tackle the issue, soak the earrings in warm soapy water for a few minutes, then gently scrub it with a soft brush. This will help eliminate any lingering odours.
3. Irritation or discomfort
Irritation or discomfort is a sign of buildup around the earrings. Regular cleaning is necessary to prevent infections and keep the ears healthy. For understanding how do you clean earrings to avoid irritation, focus on cleaning both the earrings and the area around your piercings.
4. Visible grime and accumulated residue
It is true that grime can easily accumulate in the crevices of your personalised earrings with intricate designs. Use a soft toothbrush to reach the hard-to-clean areas and rinse thoroughly afterwards.
Common mistakes to avoid while cleaning your earrings
When it comes to maintaining the beauty of your jewllery, getting an answer to how to clean earrings at home and other cherished pieces is important. Be it a personalised name jewellery, silver bracelets or even evil eye bracelet for couples, each item needs special attention to keep it in pristine condition.
1. No boiling water
Although it seems tempting to toss the earrings or bracelets in warm water for a quick clean, this method is more harmful than good. The heat weakens delicate settings and causes softer stones to crack. Alternatively, choose a gentle soak in warm, soapy water to remove the dirt and grime without compromising the jewellery’s integrity.
2. No harsh chemicals
Bleaching might be a go-to option on fabrics, but it's definitely not the go-to option for your jewllery. The harsh chemicals in bleach can break down metals and lead to discolouration. Similarly, chlorine found in swimming pools can erode the minute detailing in your favourite pieces, including personalized bracelets for couples. To keep the jewellery in its best, stick to mild soap and water for cleaning.
3. No wearing jewllery pieces in a shower.
When you weat jewllery in the shower, it is important to understand that it lead to buildup of soap scum and grime. Although some materials like gold can withstand a shower, other softer metals might have to suffer. For maintaining the shine of your jewellery, remove it before bathing and reapply only when you have finished using lotions or sprays.
4. Say no to vinegar and baking soda.
Vinegar and baking soda are popular household cleaners, but they can be too abrasive or acidic for your jewellery. Soaking your earrings or bracelets in vinegar can strip away their shine, while baking soda can scratch soft metals and stones.
5. Know what the jewllery is made of
Understanding what the jewllery is made of is necessary for proper care. Different materials need different cleaning methods. Some jewllery pieces might have durable metals, delicate pieces may have a gentler touch. Always check the material and ask for cleaning recommendations when you make a purchase to avoid irreversible damage.
6. Balancing the cleaning frequency
Cleaning your jewellery too often or not often enough can lead to issues. In case you are using a jewellery cleaner, consider letting the pieces soak overnight for a thorough clean, but be cautious not to over-polish as this can wear down the metal over time.
FAQ
1. Does the cleaning frequency differ based on the climate or sweat levels?
Ans: If you live in hot, humid climate or sweat heavily, your jewllery might require frequent cleaning to prevent buildup and tarnish.
2. Can water temperature influence jewllery cleaning effectiveness?
Ans: Warm water dissolves oils and dirt better than cold water. However, extremely hot water can damage some stones or weaken adhesives on delicate pieces.
3. Is it okay to use commercial jewllery sprays often?
Ans: Commercial jewllery used in moderation is fine. Overusing the spray can build up residue or react with metals , so use them sparingly and follow the given label instructions.
4. Does frequent exposure to sunlight damage my jewllery?
Ans: Prolonged exposure to sunlight can fade gemstones and weaken materials. It's best to store your jewllery in a shaded or enclosed space.