Once you've selected your pearl, it's important to treat it with appropriate care.- Wear: Put on your pearls after you've applied make-up, perfume, or hairspray. Try to minimize its exposure to harsh chemicals-swimming in chlorinated water or being exposed to household chemicals such as bleach or ammonia as these can damage pearls.
- Keep pearls clean: Your pearls can be cleaned with warm water and towel dried.
- Store: Due to the delicacy of a pearl's surface, your pearls should always be kept separated from your other jewelry to prevent scratches. Pearls should always be stored in a soft pouch. Dryness will cause pearls to crack, so refrain from storing them in an airtight box or plastic bag.
- Watch out for chemicals! A pearl's surface (called nacre) is porous, and it will absorb many everyday chemicals. That's bad, because those chemicals can stain your pearl, dull its surface, and even make the pearl brittle. Among the things to avoid are:
- Cosmetics and perfumes: Perfumes, skin creams, hair sprays and other cosmetics can all damage a pearl. Put on your pearls as the last part of getting ready, and avoid putting any perfume on the skin that will touch your pearls.
- Chlorine and cleaning products: Don't wear pearls in the pool, or when you're doing the dishes or using other cleaning products.
- Hang tight: Restring your pearls whenever you see dirt in the knots, or the pearls seem loose and can ''jiggle'' on the string.
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