Jewellery Care Tips: Keep Gold-Plated Pieces Looking New
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When someone tells us their jewellery lost its shine quickly, we usually ask three questions. Do you put perfume on after wearing it? Where do you keep it at night? Do you wear it in the shower? Most of the time, the answer is in one of those three.
Good jewellery care is not complicated. It is a few small habits. Here is what we tell our own family and customers.
The one rule: last on, first off
Put your jewellery on after you are fully ready. Makeup done, perfume sprayed, lotion soaked in, hair set. When you come home, take it off before you wash your face, cook or change.
This one habit protects the gold plating more than anything else, because most damage comes from chemicals, not from air.
Daily habits that make a difference
Keep perfume and sanitiser away
Perfume, deodorant, hair spray and hand sanitiser all have alcohol and chemicals that slowly wear down plating. Spray perfume on your clothes or wrists before you put your pieces on, and let sanitiser dry fully before touching your rings.
Take rings off for kitchen work
Atta dough, haldi, lemon, dish soap and scrubbers are hard on rings. Keep a small bowl near the kitchen and drop your rings in before you start.
Skip the gym and the pool
Heavy sweat, gym equipment and chlorine water are tough on any jewellery. Remove it before a workout or a swim.
Sleep without jewellery
Chains can tangle and earring posts can bend while you sleep. It takes ten seconds to take them off.
How to clean your jewellery at home
For our stainless steel gold-plated pieces, keep it gentle:
- Wipe with a soft dry cloth after each wear. A spectacle cloth works well.
- If a piece feels sticky from sweat, rinse it in plain lukewarm water with a drop of mild soap, then pat it fully dry.
- Never use toothpaste, baking soda, silver cleaner or a hard brush. These scratch the plating.
- Let it air dry for a few minutes before putting it back in the box.
For jewellery sets, our care note says avoid water and perfume, so a dry cloth wipe is enough. Stone rings with a copper base, like our Emerald Diamond Ring, should also be wiped dry and not rinsed.
How to store jewellery
Most of the dull, scratched pieces we see come from the bottom of a handbag. Storage is where good jewellery lasts or dies.
- Airtight box or zip pouch. Less air and moisture means less chance of dullness. This matters even more in monsoon.
- One piece, one space. Do not throw everything in one box. Pieces rub and scratch each other.
- Close the clasp on chains. Hook the clasp before storing so layered chains like the two layer collar bone chain necklace do not tangle.
- Keep the box out of the bathroom. Steam and humidity are not friends of jewellery.
Care by type of jewellery
| Type | Water | Cleaning | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel, 18K gold plated | Hand washing and light water are fine | Soft cloth, mild soap rinse if needed | Box or pouch |
| Stone rings on copper base | Keep dry | Dry soft cloth only | Separate slot so stones do not scratch |
| Necklace and earring sets | Avoid water and perfume | Dry soft cloth | Airtight box |
| Pure copper kada | Not waterproof, keep dry | Lemon and salt when it darkens, then dry | Dry pouch |
A note on copper kadas
Copper is different. It darkens naturally with air and sweat, and that is a sign of real copper, not a defect. If you like the bright look, rub it with a little lemon juice and salt, rinse quickly, and dry it fully. Some people like the darker, older look and leave it as it is. You can see all our designs in the copper kada collection.
When travelling
Take a small zip pouch for each piece, or wrap each one in tissue. Keep jewellery in your handbag, not in checked luggage, and do not swim in the hotel pool or the sea wearing it.
Small habits, long shine
None of this needs special products. A soft cloth, a box with compartments, and the habit of putting jewellery on last will do most of the work. If you are building a small daily set, our necklace and earring sets and adjustable rings are a good place to start.
FAQs
Jewellery kaise saaf kare ghar par?
Wipe it with a soft dry cloth after each use. For steel pieces that feel sticky, rinse in lukewarm water with a drop of mild soap and dry fully. Do not use toothpaste or a hard brush.
How do I stop my jewellery from going black?
Keep it away from perfume, sanitiser and chlorine water, take it off before bathing, and store it in an airtight box. Stainless steel pieces resist tarnish much better than brass ones.
Can I clean gold-plated jewellery with toothpaste?
No. Toothpaste is mildly abrasive and can scratch the plating. A soft cloth is all you need.
How should I store jewellery in monsoon?
Use an airtight box or zip pouch, keep it away from the bathroom, and make sure every piece is completely dry before you put it away.