One of the questions I'm asked most often is,

"How do I take care of my jewelry?"

Jewelry is more than just an accessory; it's a meaningful part of our lives, often carrying sentimental value and personal significance. Taking proper care of your jewelry ensures it stays beautiful so you can wear your loved pieces. In this blog, I’ll share some tried-and-true methods for maintaining the appearance of your Lila Clare Jewelry. I'll discuss explore prevention techniques, effective cleaning methods to restore their shine, and general care tips to prolong their lifespan.

Prevention as jewelry care

I know prevention isn't very exciting, but if you can prevent tarnish and damage, then you'll rarely need to clean your pieces! Storing your jewelry properly goes a long way to good care for your pieces. 

I highly recommend storing your jewelry in an airtight zip baggie. This will prevent air coming into contact with your jewelry, which is one of the biggest culprits of tarnish.

Other prevention tips include:

• Remove jewelry before exercising, swimming, or applying personal care products. Chlorine, chemicals, and cleaning products can cause damage to the precious metals.
• Also consider removing your jewelry when you work out, DIY, garden, etc.
• Don‘t store jewelry in the bathroom, as humidity accelerates tarnish.

How to clean your jewelry

I have two product suggestions for cleaning your Lila Clare Jewelry. One is my own jewelry cleaning line that you can purchase here on my website, and the other suggestion is typically available at your big online retailer or even your local Ace Hardware store.

I'm pretty excited to offer my very own jewelry cleaning products. These products are carefully formulated to really clean your jewelry - I wanted something that works and these really do!

These liquid silver and gold jewelry cleaners will make it super easy to keep your jewelry clean and shiny. I offer a couple different jewelry cleaning products, as well as a kit with all of the cleaners. Find all of the jewelry care products here.

Here's what's available:

• polishing cloth, buffs and shines
• sterling silver dip cleaner, which will bust tarnish from your silver pieces
• all purpose fine jewelry dip cleaner, for all of your fine jewelry
• full jewelry cleaning kit, with both dip cleaners and polishing cloth

I've added a section at the end of this post with specific instructions on how to use Lila Clare jewelry cleaner, so scroll down to read those below.

The other product that I recommend is Hagerty Silversmiths' Polish. Look for it in the blue bottle. It's a creamy consistency and will remove tarnish when rubbed on your piece. It's not as powerful on sterling silver as my silver cleaner is, but still works nicely. This product is best for gold vermeil, FYI!

The key to effective cleaning using any product is washing your jewelry with dish soap and water first. This will remove grime so that the jewelry cleaner can do the hard work. I usually give the jewelry another wash after cleaning to make sure all the cleaner is removed.

Prolong your jewelry's life

I make all of my pieces to last generations. I want you to own handmade heirloom jewelry that honors nature for many years to come. Here are a few quick tips for prolonging the life of your pieces:

• Store separately and travel with care
• Periodically inspect for wear or damage
• Protect jewelry from impact
• Occasional cleanings
• Wear and enjoy!

A lot of care, attention, and love goes into making my nature-inspired jewelry. With a little upkeep, you'll get lots of enjoyment out of your distinctive pieces!

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Here's how to use Lila Clare Jewelry's cleaning products:

• Polishing Cloth: Gently remove tarnish by polishing with the white inner cloth. Finish by buffing to a high shine with the outer cloth (avoid using logo area). Do not use on gemstones.
• Sterling Silver Dip Cleaner: For sterling silver only. Do not use on other metals or gemstones. Steps: 1. Wash jewelry with gentle dish soap to remove oils and dirt. 2. Dip jewelry or apply cleaner to sterling silver. 3. Rinse immediately and carefully dry with a soft cloth.
• Fine Jewelry Cleaner: Safe on gold, platinum, diamonds, and other precious and semi-precious gemstones. Steps: 1. Wash jewelry with gentle dish soap to remove oils and dirt. 2. Dip jewelry or apply cleaner to metal. 3. Rinse immediately and carefully dry with a soft cloth.