Why all of that information? There
Monday, October 27th, 2008
Why all of that information? There is one reason: aragonite or calcium carbonate. This is the substance of the pearl, the nacre. This material is soft compared to earth formed gemstones. This material is easily damaged by acids, certain chemicals and abrasive substances. The general cleaning methods used for mineral gemstones cannot be safely used to clean the tarnished metal and pearls at the same time. Where a simple gold item may be placed into a mild acid to remove tarnish and buffed to restore shine, that same mild acid will etch the pearl and can actually dissolve it.
“What to avoid when cleaning pearl jewelry?” As important as how to clean the jewelry is knowing what “NOT” to use as a cleanser. Commercial jewelry cleaning liquids are too strong for pearls. Most of these cleaners contain ammonia and ammonia can damage the pearl, reducing the luster. Jewelry cleaners are pretty much ineffective in removing tarnish and are designed to free up and remove dirt and grime more than remove tarnish.
Avoid any cleanser with ammonia, chlorine or abrasives added. Avoid jewelry or silver polishing cloths with a red rouge layer. The rouge is a polishing compound but the red material(iron oxide) can easily get lodged in unseen recesses of a pearl and make the pearl unsightly.
“What to use to clean pearls and remove tarnish from metal?” Oh my, now we get into basic elbow grease! At home cleaning in the safest form is done by taking a wet paste of baking soda and gently rubbing the metal. If the tarnish is not severe, the mild abrasive nature of the damp soda will remove it. Rub with your fingers on the metal only, using a soft brush or implement such as a wet toothpick or cotton ear swab for hard to reach areas. To restore shine to the metal, follow-up with a fine quality jewelry polishing cloth metal.
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