How to Care for Pearls

Pearls are soft and need a few minutes of special care to ensure their luster. They should never be tossed on top of or next to other jewelry in a jewelry box. Store them wrapped in a soft cloth or tissue paper or in a jewelry pouch.

If pearls are worn regularly, at they should be, the pearls will constantly be in close contact with the skin. The pearls in the necklace will gradually absorb acid from the skin and the acid will slowly eat into the pearl. Over time the pearl will lose its luster. You can slow this process by wiping the pearls with a soft cloth after wearing them. Occasionally, put a drop of olive oil on the cloth and rub the pearls to renew their luster. 

Besides being soft, pearls are easily damaged by chemical like perfume, vinegar and lemon juice. Heat and sun exposure can turn pearls brown, fade their color or dry them out and make them crack. Dry air can also damage peals so do not store them in a sealed plastic container. Most safe deposit vaults have very dry air and can damage pearls.

Because of their delicate nature, special care must be taken when cleaning.

• Never use an ultrasonic cleaner.
• Never steam clean pearls.
• Never use (or expose pearls) to dish or wash detergents, bleaches, powdered cleansers, baking soda, or ammonia-based cleaners (like windex).
• Never use toothbrushes, scouring pads or abrasive materials to clean pearls.
• Do not wear pearls when their string is wet. Wet strings stretch and attract dirt, which is hard to remove.
• Do not hang pearls to dry.
• Take your pearls off when applying cosmetics, hair spray, and perfume, or when showering or swimming.
• Avoid wearing pearls with rough fabrics like Shetland wool.
• Have your pearls restrung once a year if you wear them often. They should be strung on silk thread with knots between each pearl to prevent them rubbing against each other and to prevent losing all the pearls should the strand break.