Jewellery and Hand Washing
With good hand hygiene being a global top priority, here are 5 practical tips for jewellery and hand washing. At a time when we’ve got used to using more than the normal amounts of soap and hand sanitiser, we explain how to keep your hands clean while protecting your jewellery.
1. How to wash your hands if you wear jewellery
Firstly, when it comes to hygiene, leading health experts recommend that we remove our rings and bracelets when we wash our hands. Secondly, in order to protect your jewellery, jewellers recommend the same!
This is because everyday household chemicals, including detergents and hand gels, can cause damage to precious metals and gemstones. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to remove your rings, watch or bracelets before you wash or sanitise your hands.
2. Should I clean the jewellery separately?
To maintain good hand hygiene, sanitising your rings and bracelets every so often is not a bad idea. The easiest and cheapest way to clean jewellery is with an old toothbrush in a bowl of warm water and a drop of gentle soap.
3. What about protecting gemstones?
While occasional water and a gentle drop of soap are not harmful to most jewellery, there are gems that you should never soak, like pearls and opals. Also, be aware that alcohol-based hand sanitiser gels can cause damage to precious metals and gemstones, especially if you’re using them frequently.
As jewellers, we always recommend removing jewellery when washing hands, showering, swimming or while handling any sort of cosmetics or household chemicals. Learn more about keeping your jewellery safe from damage here.
4. What about wearing gloves when cleaning?
Absolutely, it makes good sense to protect your hands and jewellery from household chemicals while cleaning. For this, good old Marigold rubber gloves are ideal.
5. What if I cannot take my rings off?
Some people find it tricky to get their rings on and off. This could be because of the shape of your fingers or knuckles or because you’ve put a bit of weight on. Either way, if you find it difficult to remove your rings, try our top tips outlined in this article.
