Dealing with the culprits of deterioration of costume jewelry

"Culprits are everywhere and costume jewelry is no exception. Here culprits attain the name of decolouration, dull finishing and cracks. Here I am to tell the precautions to be taken and how to avoid the culprits coming your way. Let your jewelry live a longer life."

Sooner or later, the culprits of deterioration of costume jewelry do appear on the surface. No matter if your jewelry is very expensive or it is bought at cheaper rates, its quality has to go down with the rust of time. Even the antiques which are well preserved by some of us are the result of care which we give to our jewelry throughout. There are many articles valuable on internet giving the required information. Unfortunately, all that information flashing onto your screens are not the right ones. I am asserting some of the effective and safest information which can be used for the purposes of cleaning the jewelry and efficiently dealing with the culprits.

Abrasives and moisture are two most dangerous things for the jewelry. This is so because most of the times, it is gold or silver plated or at times it is mixed with beads of various types. These metals have a property of tarnishing as a result of oxidation (as a result of being exposed to sulphur, oxygen and other acids).

In addition to that, there are some things you can do on your part as well. You must remove the jewelry before taking a shower or bathe. All the household chores like washing, etc should be performed without putting on the costume jewelry because these chemical can completely ruin the polish and the finish of costume jewelry. Be careful about window cleaner, oven cleaners, and bathroom cleaners as well.

Water is another enemy of the jewelry. If you wearing your jewelry make sure that your skin is dry. Water tarnishes the finish of jewelry. Spray, perfume, cosmetics and skin care products have same effect on jewelry. If you have any intentions to wash your jewelry, you should do it using a mild PH based soap diluted with PH balanced shampoo like “Orvus”. Further, pat it softly with a soft cloth (linen) and let it dry completely. For the storing purposes, you should use a dry container having the anti-tarnish paper. Do not use a paper towel or cotton balls for the concerned purpose. The former can be abrasive and the latter can get caught in the tiny tinges which make ruin the cheap costume jewelry partially. The rubbing or moving against metal can dull the finish and put scratches onto it.

There are some other important points to be kept in mind and they are:

· No baking soda or tooth paste; they are abrasive

· Cleaner should not contain ammonia, vinegar, acid or alcohol

· Jewelry should not come in contact with cosmetics and other abrasives

· Plastic wrap or plastic bags are big NO

Extend the life of your jewelry with these tips.