How to keep your beaded jewellery at it’s best.

Once you’ve invested in a new piece of beaded jewellery, it makes sense that you want to keep it looking new & lasting a long time.

What are some of the best ways to keep your jewellery looking great?

1. Roll your bracelets on and off instead of pulling on them. The repetitive stress on the elastic will degrade the material more quickly.  It may take some time to remember, but it’s a great mindful practice. Rolling is more gentle, shows respect to the materials & prevents unexpected snapback & impact between the beads.
2. Take your bracelets off if you’re getting wet. It could be a bath or a shower, swimming at the beach or sweating in the heat.  While some materials are more water safe than others, the inside of the drilled hole is always a rough finish, which gives water (and whatever is in the water) deeper access.  There’s also a concern with build up & reactions with things like chlorine or salt.
3. Use a soft cloth to wipe down your beads & give them a polish when needed.  Avoid using traditional cleansing agents, as they can cause reactions that may impact the colour, texture and stability of your beads.  If you must ‘wash’ your bracelet, be sure to rinse thoroughly & give enough time for everything to dry.
4. When you’re not wearing your beads, put them away in a safe place. As much as the aesthetic of beads on your window sill is lovely; direct, extended exposure to sunlight isn’t ideal. A small bag can keep the dust off, reduce the chances of bumping or scratching beads & keep light sensitive beads from fading more quickly.
5. While we can sometimes get away with a bracelet not being the perfect fit, do be mindful of sizing.  Bracelets that are too small create gaps in the finish, stress the elastic & can be uncomfortable on the skin when wearing for any significant amount of time.  Bracelets that are too big can slide right off the wrist (especially with heavier beads) or may cause unnecessary impact when stacked behind smaller bracelets in a stack.

Are there any other ways that you know of to care for your beaded jewellery?  If so, share below!