Cleaning gold infant and children's jewellery isn't expensive and can easily be done at home with a few household products, like ammonia and dish detergent. If your child's jewellery contains a coloured stone, hold off on the ammonia and just use detergent instead, as this will prevent any accidental discolouration or damage. If using ammonia, make sure you rinse the pieces thoroughly to avoid irritating baby's skin.
1. Fill a small glass container with warm, not hot, water, and add one or two drops
of dish detergent.
2. Add a few tiny drops of ammonia and mix gently.
3. Dip the jewellery to coat, and thengently clean with child's toothbrushmaking sure to thoroughly go over anynooks and crannies that could harbourdirt or residue.
4. Rinse thoroughly in lukewarm, then cold water to remove any cleaning substance.
5. Let jewellery air-dry.
Keep in mind, gold is a soft metal, and should be cleaned very gently. When your child is not wearing her pretty ieces, they should be stored somewhere dry and fabric lined, such as a jewelry pouch or a special box made for storing jewellery. Earrings usually require a little more regular cleaning than pieces like bracelets or necklaces. Let them soak in the cleaening solution a bit, and then clean as you would other jewellery. Rinse even more thoroughly to prevent skin irritation and completely remove any residue.
How to clean Sterling Silver children's jewellery.
Sterling silver oxidizes naturally when exposed to oxygen and other elements, and while it's not harmful, this can lead to baby's jewellery appearing tarnished or dirty. This is just a natural reaction to the chemical bonding that occurs when the oxygen hits the surface, and with a little bit of effort, you can make sure her special necklace, earrings or bracelet look pretty again.
How to:
1. In a small glass container, make a paste with a small amount of baking soda and some warm, not hot, water.
2. Use a small cloth to apply a tiny, pea- sized amount and polish gently. For more detailed, etched, or stamped pieces, thin the paste with a little more water and clean with a soft bristled toothbrush.
3. Thoroughly rinse the pieces under warm water and dry to prevent white water spot stains from forming. Don't use a paper towel as this could actually scratch the surface of the silver.
4. Store her silver jewellery as you would her gold pieces, in a dry, clean fabric pouch or fabric lined box.
With thanks to my favourite children's jewellery supplier.