We often see jewelry pieces that are beautiful and easily catch our eyes. However, the heavy price tags on some of them can discourage us. So, we opt for pretty but less expensive pieces.
The problem with these pieces is that they don’t last very long- unless you get lucky. They tarnish pretty quickly, break, and some even leave marks on your body. Sometimes, your jewelry tarnishes due to contact with oils, air, and moisture.
If you’re interested in learning how to make inexpensive jewelry last longer, dive in!
Four Ways to Make Inexpensive Jewelry Last Longer
The hard truth is that your jewelry won’t last forever, no matter how expensive. Still, it’s easier to maintain pricey pieces than cheaper ones.
1. Avoid Contact with Moisture
It isn’t news that jewelry and water aren’t friends. Especially the inexpensive type. It can cause the color or plating to fade quickly, turning it into an unappealing color.
However, preventing your jewelry from coming in contact with water isn’t so simple. This is because we can sweat on our jewelry when wearing it, wash our hands with our bracelets and rings on, or even get cream on it. These are all almost unavoidable situations.
The simple solution to these is to wipe your jewelry dry with a clean cloth for the bigger pieces or cotton swabs for the smaller ones.
2. Store Properly
Wiping your jewelry dry isn’t enough. After wiping it down, the place you store your jewelry also matters a lot. The primary goal here is to prevent your jewelry from coming into contact with any moisture and prevent scratches.
Some jewelry comes with special storage bags when you purchase it. However, if you don’t get those bags, you can store your jewelry in a jewelry box or even a sealable nylon-like Ziploc. You can also dedicate one drawer to your jewelry with dividers inside.
3. Use Transparent Nail Polish
This simple hack keeps your jewelry from oxidizing and leaving your skin green. You probably have a bottle of transparent polish. Put it to good use and apply a coat to the area of your jewelry that touches your skin, then let it dry.
4. Clean Your Jewelry
Not many of us know this, but you’re also supposed to clean your jewelry. You can use a clean piece of clothing to clean off moisture and any dirt deposited on your jewelry – a cotton swab or a toothbrush will reach the areas a cloth won’t and are suitable for cleaning small jewelry pieces.
You can also use lemon juice, white vinegar, or alcohol to clean your pieces, but be sure to run a test patch first in case you strip the plating.
Conclusion
The truth is that low-cost jewelry will tarnish and fade. Still, with these five ways provided above, you should be able to get your money’s worth before you finally have to say goodbye to them.