how to clean pearls jewelry at home ?

how to clean your pearl jewelry necklace,rings,earrings at home by yourself.

“When pearls are visibly dirty, wash them in 1 teaspoon of Woolite diluted in 1 quart of water,” says Kathy Higginbotham, Silpada Designs’ director of quality control. “Immerse them for 10 to 15 seconds, wipe with a soft cotton cloth and lay flat to dry.” Store them in a cotton bag—never plastic—separate from other jewelry. To ensure that they stay lustrous, think outside the jewelry box: wearing them regularly will keep them polished, thanks to your body’s natural oils. When you take them off, wipe them with a dry cotton cloth.

• Find a very soft cloth. Choose either a jewelry cloth or a clean rag, preferably one made from cotton or bamboo fabric. Velvet works well too. Avoid linen, georgette, net and jersey.
  • Never use anything abrasive to clean pearls with, such as toothbrushes or plastic sponges. A soft cloth is the only item that should touch pearls.
• Wipe pearl jewelry gently before putting your pearl necklace away each time, to remove body oils and perspiration. Put a few drops of water onto the cloth, enough to dampen it and no more. Begin wiping the pearls one by one.
  • Never use a commercial jewelry cleaner on pearls. Usually such cleaners contain way too much ammonia, which can damage the pearls.
• For every fifth wash of the pearls, they’ll need something a little stronger than simply a dampened cloth. Dip the soft cloth in warm, mildly soapy water. Do not use washing up liquid; use a very mild soap, such as castille soap without fragrance or color additives.
  • Wipe with a clean dampened cloth to remove any soapy residue from the pearls.
• If the clasp has to be cleaned as well, use a Q tip (cotton bud) dipped in either jewelry cleaner (make sure it is compatible with the metal of the clasp) or if it a hard metal (not gold) without gemstones, you can use a bit of toothpaste. Whatever you use, do not allow it to come into contact with any of the pearls as it can potentially harm them.
  • Toothpaste is good on tarnished silver.