Pearls are a gemstone that is not considered an independent mineral. At 85-90%, it consists of calcium, 7-10% comes from organic matter (conchiolin forms a pearl frame), and the rest is from water.
The value of natural pearls is provided not only by rarity and natural origin, but also by the fact that it is not eternal. The stone undergoes a gradual disintegration and has a certain shelf life. Over time, the organic substances that form the basis dry up, which manifests itself in a yellowish appearance on the surface, then in exfoliation and complete destruction. Since pearls are fragile enough, proper care is very important. To make the products serve you as long as possible, use the tips from this article.
How to store?
Natural minerals are very capricious and whimsical. Although it is an organic stone, pearls are quite fragile. It is easy to scratch it, it may not survive falling from even a small height or a sharp contact with a harder surface.
That is why before going out it is recommended to put it on yourself as a last resort, when all the clothes are already on you. The same rule works in the opposite direction - when returning home, you need to remove jewelry first.
But careful handling includes not only that.
You must follow:
- for temperature - high temperatures adversely affect the material;
- the purity and humidity of the air - too dry environment will entail a faster decay;
- in the absence of direct sunlight;
- Avoid contact with the mineral chlorinated water, cleaning products and hygiene products.
Do not forget to remove the decorations when going to the pool, sauna, relaxing on the beach or in nature, especially if you are going to wash the dishes or started cleaning the house. It is better to remove the rings, earrings and pendants before bedtime, after removing traces of socks with a soft, slightly damp cloth.
It is better to put pearls in velvet boxes or boxes, it is desirable that the stones do not come into contact with other, especially harder minerals.
How to clean?
Pearls can return the former shine, evenness, refresh the stone.
However, the incorrect choice of the means, which, in your opinion, should restore the decoration, can be a fatal mistake. We advise you to treat the recommendations very carefully and not to improvise using folk methods.
- The best pearl cleanser is professional jewelry paste. It is applied on a soft, lint-free cloth. Each bead is wiped separately, even if you have a massive necklace with a lot of balls. Cleaning should touch every element. After rubbing the paste, you will need to re-process each bead, but with a dry, lint-free rag. The disadvantage of this professional approach is that it cannot be used too often, otherwise the active components in the composition will adversely affect the pearls.
- Quickly and effectively at home you can return the shine with the help of a soap solution. Add water to a small container, add fragrance-free soap to it (liquid or soak solid, one spoon per liter of water is enough) and lower the products into the solution for a few minutes. After the procedure, remove moisture and soap residues with a soft, lint-free cloth. You can also use cotton pads.
- You can care for pearls with olive oil. On a cotton swab, apply a few drops of oil and process the pearl. Remove any oil residue with a clean, dry, lint-free cloth or a fresh cotton pad.
- Another way to revitalize the decoration is to use starch. Take a piece of velvet fabric, sprinkle it with a small amount of starch. After that, place the dirty pearls on the fabric and carefully rub the bead. Leftover powder can be removed with a damp cloth or cotton swab, and then wipe the pearls dry.
A separate line in the care of pearl jewelry is a necklace. The difficulty lies in the fact that nylon or silk threads are used for a bundle of natural stones. They are less durable than stones and wear faster therefore, care (and in any case it will be mechanical) should be special and divided into two parts:
- bead care;
- cleaning thread.
The thread can be safely and safely washed with potato flour. Just leave the product for 24 hours in a container of flour. Over time, remove the decoration and remove the flour with a soft, dry cloth.
Jewelry care
You now know how to process natural stone, but there are less expensive, but more common artificial pearls that also require care. Consider how to do it right.
The artificial version, the so-called Roman beads, is stronger than freshwater or sea pearls, so you can not treat them with such care, but still it is correct. In no case can not wet jewelry in water with high temperature, exclude the possibility of ingress of acids, vinegar and caustic household products.
To make a necklace or ring with artificial stones shine, you can wash the surface with cool tap water and a small amount of baby soap.
Jewelry with precious metals
Rules for wearing and caring for the proper storage of such headsets should concern not only pearls, but also the metal that borders the stones. Keep in mind that silver and gold darkens with time, and even if the stone itself does not lose its luster, the jewel as a whole will become untidy and will require correction.
When buying specialized cleaning products, it is better to clarify that the composition is not too concentrated, because pastes or powders will fall not only on the metal, but also touch the stone. And what works well on one element can destroy another.
Use the most gentle care options, for example, a weak soap solution, and if you understand that it is impossible to clean the dirt at home, we strongly recommend that you contact a professional.
Energy cleaning
Not everyone takes this type of purification seriously, some do not consider such procedures necessary, but after all, forewarned is forearmed. It is better to be aware, suddenly your opinion will change with time.
Wash decorations at home with soap and water - the action is simple, and it should be taken as a rule. This helps maintain the appearance of the stone. But if this is your favorite ring, earrings or pendant that you wear constantly, in addition to the physical one, you will also need energy cleaning. If the product has a natural stone, it will absorb the owner's energy, both on good days and on bad ones.
Particular attention should be paid to energy cleansing, if the jewelry got to you as a gift or was inherited from another person. There is a belief that, along with a gift, you can get the fate of the person who wore the product before you. Most likely, you do not want to learn from other people's life stories, so here are some examples of how to clean the aura of the stone.
- Energy efficient and safe - from physical is considered cleaning in whole grains of rice. They will not affect the metal, will not damage the stone, does not change its color and structure. Place the product in a small container filled with rice and leave it there for 24 hours.Rice for cleaning can be reused, but you can not eat it.
- Some use a non-standard option of getting rid of someone else's or negative energy - sound vibrations. People either read over the decoration of mantra and prayer, or put in the record the sound of church bells. To refer to this non-standard way can be different, but you will agree, it is impossible not to notice the pleasant lightness in the shower when you hear the loud bells ringing.
In the recommendations for cleaning stones, you can often find salt, sun and fire. But in the case of pearls from such methods, we recommend to strictly refrain. Perhaps you will be able to direct the energy sector in the right direction, but outwardly the product may be irretrievably damaged.
Now, when you know everything about storage, remember the rules of wearing, and will correctly use cleaning techniques, your pearls (sea, cultured or artificial) will serve you for many years.
Pearl care tips are waiting for you in the video below.
