HOW TO CLEAN BRACELETS LIKE A PRO

Just like any other jewellery, how much effort you need to put into cleaning your bracelets comes down to what material they’re made out of.

For example, a solid gold bracelet or gold plated bracelet will require regular cleaning, sometimes with specialist cleaning fluid. Whilst a hard wearing gold PVD coated bracelet or a silver stainless steel bracelet will be a breeze in comparison. Here’s everything you need to know to get it right for each of the bracelets in your collection.

How to clean gold bracelets

One of the biggest drawbacks to gold or gold plated jewellery is how easily it tarnishes.

This discolouration happens as a result of a process called oxidization; when the metal alloy the gold has been mixed with reacts with oxygen in the air causing it to corrode and deteriorate. The best way to keep this at bay is through regularly cleaning with the following method:

Fill a bowl with luke warm water and add a dash of washing up liquid (or specialist gold cleaning solution for particularly bad tarnishing).
Soak your gold bracelets in the solution for 15 to 20 minutes.
Using a specialist gold cleaning cloth or a small, soft brush like a toothbrush, gently scrub both the outside and inside of your bracelet until it’s clear of all dirt or grime. Pay special attention to any crevices, chain links and clasps to make sure it’s completely clean.
Rinse the bracelet under a tap and either leave to dry naturally or gently pat it with a kitchen towel.

How often should you clean gold bracelets?

To stay on top of tarnishing, you’ll need to repeat this process every month or so. But be careful. Gold is an extremely soft metal so excessive cleaning can cause scratches on the surface of your bracelet or you might distort the shape if it’s a gold bangle.

It’s especially important to avoid over-cleaning gold plated bracelets as you can slowly wear away the gold layer, exposing a potentially reactive metal underneath.

This is why you should also avoid swimming and showering in gold plated bracelets or any other gold plated jewellery.

If you want to achieve the exact same on-trend look to gold without the high maintenance, it's time to switch to gold PVD coated stainless steel. Physical Vapour Deposition, or PVD, is a vacuum coating process that applies a tough and durable gold coating to bracelets and other jewellery for a finish that’s immune to oxidisation making it tarnish resistant.

From our gold rope chain bracelet to our chunky open bangle gold cuff bracelet, all our gold range is PVD coated.

And we’ll let you into another secret. Not only is the luxurious shine of PDV incredibly long-lasting, it’s hypoallergenic too!

How to clean silver bracelets

Just like gold, silver is another precious metal that requires frequent cleaning as its prone to tarnishing.

The method for cleaning is much the same as the above for gold; leave your silver bracelet to soak in warm, mild soapy water, gently scrub and then pat dry.

If the dirt and grime is being stubborn or it’s a particularly chunky silver bracelet, then you can swap the soap and water for a mixture of white vinegar and baking powder.

First, cover your silver bracelet with a healthy amount of vinegar.
Then add a couple of tablespoons of baking soda.
Leave for about an hour and then rinse clean and pat dry with a soft cloth.

How to clean stainless steel silver bracelets

Want the sleek glam of silver without the tarnishing? We’ve got you covered.

Silver stainless steel is totally resistant to corrosion which means it won’t discolour however much you wear it.

It’s also completely water and sweat proof so your bracelets will stay looking fresh even if you shower or workout in them.

Because of this, you’ll only really need to clean your stainless steel bracelets whenever they’re looking a little dull.

This can happen when there’s a buildup of everyday dirt or make-up. But there’s no need for hour long soakings.

All you need to do is wipe your stainless steel jewellery clean with a wet, soft cloth taking care to wipe inside any chain links (like those you’ll find on our silver paper clip chain bracelet) and you’re good to go. It couldn’t be easier!

How to clean a gemstone bracelet or pearl bracelet

You need to take extra care when cleaning bracelets containing precious gemstones as you risk scratching their surface if they’re particularly soft.

This is especially true for delicate gems such as amber or the popular pearl.

In these cases, try to use an non-abrasive polishing cloth to carefully work around the stones after cleaning any metal components with soapy water.

If you want to the glamour of pearls without their delicate impracticalities, then freshwater pearls are your best bet. This is because the nacre layer of freshwater pearls is thicker, making them more durable.

You can find the perfect examples of these timeless beauties on our beaded pearl bracelets.

How to clean a beaded bracelets or charm bracelets

It stands to reason that bracelets with beads or charms are always going to be slightly more tricky to clean than say your PDV gold bangles as beads have more surface area to collect dirt.

Our clarity stone beaded bracelets, for example, are designed to be worn every day to promote mental clarity, emotional balance and inner peace so you’ll want to make sure give them a clean now and again.

Luckily, they can be quickly restored to their shimmering beauty with the help of some warm, mild soapy water and a soft brush.

Unlike most beaded bracelets that come with a delicate string band that can break during clearing, ours are made with a durable stainless steel rope chain that’s completely waterproof. So you don’t need to worry about tarnishing either!

So there you have it, give your bracelets a boost with a bit of gentle cleaning. And remember, nothing beats stainless steel when it comes to low maintenance, high reward!

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