How to Clean an Ivory Necklace

Ivory jewelry is often made from elephant tusks.

Ivory is typically made from elephant, mammoth, whale or walrus tusks. Most ivory jewelry, including necklaces, is made from elephant ivory. The color and texture of ivory will vary depending on the elephant, the location found and the age of the ivory. Cleaning ivory necklaces should be done with great care to avoid further staining or altering the appearance of the ivory. Contact an authorized jeweler with any questions.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Dishwashing detergent
• Bowl
• Clean cloths
• White vinyl eraser

Instructions

1. Mix a cup of lukewarm water and a few drops of gentle dishwashing detergent together in a dish.

2. Dip a soft clean cloth into the mixture until cloth is damp and use to gently wipe the ivory. Do not scrub and do not saturate the ivory, as ivory is very porous and will absorb moisture readily.

3. Dip a soft clean cloth in clean lukewarm water and wipe the necklace a second time.

4. Dry thoroughly with a clean soft cloth.

5. Use a white vinyl eraser, available at many hardware and art stores, on any stubborn stains. Note that erasers of other colors might transfer color onto the ivory. Gently rub the eraser on the ivory, using a soft brush to brush away marks on the ivory and eraser flakes.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that ivory is very porous and therefore care should be taken to use only small amounts of moisture when cleaning.

References

• Sparklz.com: Ivories, Bone and Substitutes
• Bladestuff.com: Cleaning and repairing ivory

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish