How to Clean & Care for Costume Jewelry

Take good care of costume jewelry to ensure it lasts a long time.

Costume jewelry can last for years if taken care of properly. Keep in mind that any cleaner that has ammonia, vinegar or any type of alcohol can ruin your costume jewelry. Try to "dry clean" it as often as possible, and "wet clean" when really necessary.

Things You'll Need

• Soft silk-lined pouch
• Water
• Glass cleaner
• Liquid soap
• Bowl
• Lint-free soft towel
• Baby toothbrush
• Cotton swab
• Toothpick

Instructions

Caring for Costume Jewelry

1. Store your jewelry in silk pouches to keep it away from dust.

2. Keep your jewelry in a dry and dust free environment. If you have valuable heirloom jewelry, you may want to store it in a safe.

3. Ensure items aren't stored touching one another. This could cause pieces to become scratched.

4. Remove your costume jewelry any time the situation warrants it. Cleaning house, doing chores, working in the yard or being in the pool can all be enemies of costume jewelry.

Cleaning Your Jewelry

1. Dust the jewelry first with a soft baby toothbrush. Dislodge any foreign matter with a toothpick.

2. Spray a small amount of glass cleaner on a soft cloth, or a mix a solution of gentle liquid soap diluted with water. Always apply the cleaning solution sparingly to the jewelry using the cloth; do not saturate or soak the jewelry in the glass cleaner or soap solution.

3. Dab a bit of cleaner on a cotton swab to clean crevices or hard to reach corners.

4. Allow jewelry to air dry thoroughly before putting away. If any moisture remains on the jewelry, it can become damaged. Never allow moisture to sit on rhinestone jewelry; the stones can come loose from the foil backing.

5. Polish jewelry with a soft, lint free cloth. Purchase a special polishing cloth at a jewelry store, as it is an ideal choice for costume jewelry.

Tips & Warnings

• If the glass cleaner or soapy water doesn't do the trick, you can dab a small amount of non-acetone nail polish remover on your jewelry for hard to clean spots.

References

• Vintage Jewelry Lane: Costume Jewelry Care
• Annie Sherman: Care for Vintage Antique Jewelry
• Michelle's Vintage Jewelry: Cleaning Costume Jewelry