Stainless Steel Jewelry Care Tips

Did you know that stainless steel is a favorite among jewelry collectors because it’s hypoallergenic and nonreactive next to your skin? It’s also far more resistant than gold and silver due to its original toughness. While the metal doesn’t rust, it can easily become dull or get stained and, thus, requires proper maintenance, cleaning, and storage. In this article, we take a look at how you can best maintain your steel jewelry.

Maintaining Stainless Steel Jewelry

The following tips will help keep your stainless jewelry clean longer:

  • Take off your jewelry before handling harsh chemicals like bleach or swimming in a chlorinated pool. Chlorine compounds produce a corrosive film that, on the surface of some stainless steels, can tarnish your jewelry.
  • Protect your jewelry from direct contact with cosmetics containing alcohol such as hairspray and perfume as the chemicals speed up the tarnishing process.
  • Avoid using harsh abrasive cleaners or silver polish to clean stainless jewelry because they can corrode your jewelry.

Cleaning Stainless Steel Jewelry

The cleaning schedule for your stainless steel jewelry depends on how frequently you wear it. While the material doesn’t rust, it can tarnish or get stained and, thus, should be polished properly.

Here’s how to clean stainless steel jewelry the right way:

Using Soap and Water

This is probably the simplest way to clean your jewelry when it’s dirty. It helps remove pollutants and grime from the metal, leaving it clean and well-polished.

Ingredients

  • Mild liquid soap
  • Warm water
  • Non-abrasive cloth
  • Polishing cloth

Procedure

  1. Fill two bowls with warm water.
  2. Add 2 to 3 drops of mild liquid soap into one of the bowls.
  3. Dip the soft, non-abrasive cloth into the soapy water and rub it along the grain of the jewelry, not across.
  4. Dip your jewelry in the second bowl of warm water to rinse it.
  5. Use a dry cloth to remove excess water.
  6. Use jewelry polish (avoid silver polish) or a polishing cloth to leave it shining.

Using Toothpaste

Toothpaste contains fluoride, a suitable cleaning agent for stainless steel jewelry. However, avoid gel toothpaste and brands with whitening agents or silica, as these could harm the metal.

Ingredients

  • Silica-free toothpaste
  • Soft cloth
  • Warm water
  • Soft-bristled toothbrush
  • Polishing cloth

Procedure

  1. Add warm water to a bowl.
  2. Dampen a soft cloth in the water and squeeze a small toothpaste onto it.
  3. Gently run the cloth across the jewelry surface and along the grain.
  4. Dip the toothbrush in warm water and gently scrub across the jewelry surface.
  5. Rinse the jewelry in warm water and pat it dry with a soft cloth.
  6. Use jewelry polish (avoid silver polish) or a polishing cloth to leave it shining.

Using Baking Soda and Water

Baking soda is a mild abrasive that removes grime from stainless steel jewelry.

Ingredients

  • Baking soda
  • Water
  • Soft-bristled toothbrush
  • Soft towel
  • Polishing cloth

Procedure

  1. Mix two 2 parts baking soda with 1 part water in a bowl to make a paste.
  2. Dip the toothbrush into the bowl and gently scrub your jewelry along the grain.
  3. Rinse your jewelry in warm water.
  4. Gently pat your jewelry dry with a soft towel.
  5. Use jewelry polish (avoid silver polish) or a polishing cloth to leave it shining.

Storing Stainless Steel Jewelry

Storing your stainless steel jewelry is essential after cleaning and should be done correctly.

Avoid storing your jewelry with other metals because it will get scratched. Instead, keep them safe and clean, away from other items.

You can also store the jewelry in a fabric-lined case with separate compartments for other jewelry or wrap individual pieces in soft tissue paper.

Let It Shine

Choosing the right stainless steel jewelry is the first step towards ensuring your metals stay clean for longer. Also, a professional jewelry cleaning service can ensure your metals sparkle brighter than ever in case the methods in this guide don’t work as well as you’d hoped. If you’re interested in switching to stainless steel jewelry, visit our website and browse the available options, or reach out to us for more information and queries.

 

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