How to clean pearls at home. How to clean natural or artificial pearls at home? – simple methods and special means; product care (bleaching and storage)

A luxurious pearl necklace may fade or turn yellow over time. Jewelry loses its luster and color as a result of improper storage or care. But it is possible to correct the situation. In this case, it is not necessary to carry the products to the jewelry store. It is enough to use home methods. How to whiten pearls?

Cleaning pearls with improvised means

How to whiten pearls at home? This will require water liquid soap, shampoo or other soft remedy containing no abrasives. A bath is prepared from these components. Products are lowered into the prepared solution.

Pearls should not be rubbed with brushes and other devices.

It will start to fall apart and fall apart.

If the whiteness has not returned, then take the soap and beat it into foam. With this gentle mousse, treat each bead. At the end of the procedure, rinse all products clean water. Gently rub the pearl wet wipe. It remains to dry the decorations. To do this, lay out the products on a soft cloth. You can not dry a string of pearls in a suspended state. This method helps to eliminate the yellowness on the stones and restore the luster of mother-of-pearl.

For the second method, you will need finely ground salt and water. Jewelry is placed in a bag made of soft fabric. Salt is then added, 1 teaspoon is enough. The bag is then lowered into the water. You need to dissolve the salt. To do this, move the bag in the liquid. As soon as all the salt is dissolved, take out the beads. No rinsing required, just air dry. You can not rub salt on the pebbles. There will be scratches that will be impossible to get rid of.

Gold ring with diamonds and pearls, SL;(price link) gold earrings with diamonds and pearls, SL;(price link)

The third way to perform is similar to the previous two. Only citric acid is used as a cleaner. If you take a pearl necklace, then be careful with the thread. From exposure citric acid she will break. After cleaning the pearls, replace the old strand.

Gray plaque on jewelry is eliminated with potato starch. Pour it on a soft cloth and wrap it around. It is allowed to rub the beads lightly. The powder will remove dirt and make jewelry white.

How to restore the shine of pearls?

After you get rid of the yellowness, inspect the pearls. Often the beads remain dull, without mother-of-pearl. You can restore the shine of pearl earrings and rings with the help of tools that are at hand:

1. Rub each bead with egg white, rinse with water after 2 hours.

2. Apply olive oil to the cotton. Then wipe each pebble. Other vegetable fats should not be used. Remove any remaining oil with a paper towel.

Home methods do not help if the yellowness has penetrated deep into the pebbles. In that case, resort to professional procedure- cleaning pearls by a jeweler. Masters process products with hydrochloric acid.

Don't settle for abrasive or ultrasonic cleaning

Such methods are detrimental to natural pearls.

How to prevent darkening of pearls?

The best method for cleaning jewelry is to prevent it from yellowing and tarnishing. To do this, follow these rules:
keep pearls away from sunlight, long-term contact of products with water is not allowed;
periodically take the pearls out of the box and put them on;
gold earrings with pearls, rings or beads;
put on jewelry after 10 minutes. after applying makeup;
do not allow the necklace to stay in a dry or excessively damp room for a long time.

Capriciousness of pearls is explained by organic origin. The pearly coating of the pebbles is grateful to the mollusks, which secrete a special substance. It is not strong enough, prone to destruction. But, there are also positive aspects. Pearl is a mineral that is purified at home without the use of sophisticated means and devices.

Pearl jewelry is extremely popular among the female half of the population. Pearls are unique and perfect in their beauty. Just imagine that these perfectly round pebbles are the creation of the deep sea, because this is truly a miracle of nature. Of course, now pearls are not only natural, but also cultured, but they do not lose their beauty, but only gain fans. Pearl jewelry is worn by ladies from high society, ladies who know their own worth. You can look at the stars of the screen and see for yourself: Princess Diana, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Cameron Diaz and Milla Jovovich prefer pearl necklaces and earrings. They say that even Cleopatra herself loved to wear pearls!


To preserve the beauty and brilliance of pearls, you must handle them very carefully: any careless attempt to wash a pearl necklace with detergent will result in you having to say goodbye to it. Probably, every girl who has pearl items in her jewelry box has a question about how to clean pearls at home, because no one wants to spoil the product.

What not to do when cleaning pearls at home
Pearls tend to become cloudy and lose their natural luster due to the fact that it contains only two percent water. On the one hand, high temperature leads to "dehydration", overdrying of pearls, cracking and delamination of its coating. On the other hand, with high humidity, the pearls fade, fade and eventually become completely unattractive. Yes, pearls are very picky, but still there are a few simple and affordable rules for cleaning pearls that all owners of pearl jewelry can follow.

To begin with, it should be noted what cannot be done with pearls. So, in no case should pearls be cleaned with a brush or washcloth. Any hard matter will simply scratch the coating, and you obviously do not want this. Do not use whitening pearls in cleaning detergents, solutions with ammonia, soda, strong vinegar. Allow hits toilet water and perfume on pearl jewelry is also not allowed, otherwise over time you can get a red necklace instead of a nice milky one, because essential oils tend to leave greasy traces on pearl. Accept water procedures in pearl jewelry is also not recommended.

How to properly clean pearls at home?
All you need to remember when you are going to clean your pearls at home is the rules of care and accuracy. Pearl dirt is removed with a light soapy solution and a cotton pad. A soapy solution can be made using baby soap, mild baby shampoo and warm water. Pearl beads and necklaces should be wiped with a cotton pad soaked in soapy water. Earrings, brooches and rings can be dipped into the solution for a few minutes, then removed and wiped with a dry cotton swab.

Making pearls shine again with olive oil high degree cleaning. For this on cotton pad apply a few drops of olive oil and wipe pearl jewelry. Residual oil can be removed with paper napkin, remember that hard materials cannot be used! In addition, it is not recommended to use other types of oils for cleaning pearls - you will not return the shine to pearls, but greasy traces will remain.

Another known way clean pearls at home: if you need to clean your jewelry from dirt and water, use potato starch is a proven tool. To do this, pour a little powder on the velvet fabric and wipe the pearl product.

Tarnished pearls with traces of fat can really be brought back to life in the following way: in a soft linen fabric wrap the pearl product, after pouring a teaspoon of finely ground salt into it. Rinse in water until the salt dissolves, then dry. Note - the product does not need to be rubbed with salt, otherwise it can be damaged! It is not recommended to use this method to clean beads and bracelets strung on a thread: it can become thinner from water and break.

How to keep pearl products in their original form?
It's simple! After each time you wear your pearls, wipe them with a damp, soft cloth to remove any traces of sebum. It tends to gradually soften the mother-of-pearl coating of pearls - over time, the pearls will crack and shine. If you have pearl beads, it is recommended to separate individual pearls with knots on a thread. So they will not come into contact with each other and scratch the coating. Often change the thread on which the pearls are strung. It is recommended to do this with a frequency of one to three years. Store pearl jewelry separately from the rest, it is better if they are wrapped in a soft linen or velvet cloth. With these simple rules, you will keep the beauty and brilliance of your pearl jewelry for years to come!

Pearl jewelry has always been popular, because they emphasize femininity and elegance, effectively complement and complete the image. However, the products gradually fade and fade, lose color and delaminate. In addition, it is very gentle and delicate decoration, which quickly gets dirty and can be scratched even due to light dust.

Features of cleaning pearls

Pearls are a solid formation of irregular round shape, which is extracted from the shell of mollusks. The composition of such formations includes no more than 2% of water, so products due to its lack may lose their luster and color. Pearls turn yellow and exfoliate.

However, excess moisture also adversely affects jewelry. They become cloudy, they lose natural shine and a radiance that just captivates and attracts the eye.

Pearls do not tolerate too bright light, high temperatures and high humidity. Therefore, it cannot be applied hot water and steam, as they change the color of the pearls and deprive the material of its natural luster.

The surface of pearls is very easy to scratch or damage. Even the dust that settles on products can leave microcracks and minor scratches! Therefore, it is important to regularly clean the beads from dust.

Under no circumstances should brushes or coarse hard sponges be used for cleaning! You can not take essential oils, cosmetics and perfumes, too hot water, various solvents. Can not use vegetable oils(except natural quality olive oil), abrasive and alkaline cleaners, dishwashing detergents, baking soda.

To clean earrings, beads, and other pearl jewelry, use soft flannel, satin, or cotton fabrics, cotton pads, and safe cleaning products. Further, we offer rules by which you can clean pearls without harm to the material using improvised means and in just ten minutes!

Eight ways to clean pearls

  • The safest and most gentle way is to rinse pearl jewelry in salt water. To do this, wrap the products in soft cotton, chintz or linen. In slightly warm water, add a little very fine salt and stir. Gently put the bag with the decoration in the water and rinse;
  • For regular cleaning, use water with fine salt, where pearls are lowered for several minutes. This procedure will preserve the whiteness, natural shine and attractive appearance products;
  • Baby soap will also safely clean pearls and help remove yellowing plaque. To do this, rub a cotton pad with soap and gently wipe the products, then rinse in clean warm water;
  • You can prepare a soapy solution. small piece baby soap grate on a coarse grater and stir in water until foam forms. You can also take liquid soap. Take a soft cloth or cotton pad, moisten it with soap and treat each pearl separately. Then rinse the products in clean warm water;

  • Sometimes you can use a special jewelry paste. It's aggressive and active agent which effectively removes dirt and stains. But such a composition is not recommended for frequent use, as it reduces the service life jewelry stones. To clean, apply a small amount of product to a soft cloth and gently wipe the beads. Then rinse the products and send to dry;
  • Regular potato starch removes any impurities from the surface of the beads. Wipe each pearl with starch using a cotton or velvet cloth until the dirt is completely removed. Then clean the products with a clean soft cloth and remove any starch residue;
  • Instead of starch, tooth powder is suitable, in which beads are placed. And then they are moistened in a very weak solution of hydrochloric or malic acid. By the way, malic and hydrochloric acid is often used by professional jewelers. However, it is not recommended to care for pearls at home in this way, as it is very easy to damage the products and spoil the appearance. After you have dipped the beads in the solution, do not wipe them, but immediately send them to dry!;
  • To return former shine sometimes use olive oil. But be very careful, as a poor-quality product can only worsen the appearance. Choose natural, high-quality olive oil. Apply two to three drops of oil to a cotton pad and wipe each bead. Then wipe off any residue with a dry cloth.

How to clean gold and silver pearl jewelry

Silver with pearls can be cleaned every two to three times a month. To clean silver, use vinegar or ammonia and mix with soda. Carefully apply the composition to the silver surface, without rubbing into the metal or touching the pearls. Leave the mixture for half an hour. In the meantime, clean the pearls with soapy water. Then rinse the product twice in warm water.

Gold jewelry with pearls requires more thorough and accurate cleaning. As a rule, gold is cleaned and wiped with ammonia. It is important that alcohol does not get on the pearls, otherwise it will ruin the stones! Gently wipe the golden parts cotton swab dipped in alcohol without touching the pearls.

Gold can be cleaned with baby powder, crushed chalk, or cosmetic powder. To do this, pour a little powder on a dry flannel fabric and carefully polish the surface of the products on each side. This must be done so that the product does not get on the pearls!

Clean the beads themselves using one of the methods listed above. Suitable option V this case becomes soapy water. After cleaning, rinse the jewelry twice in warm water and then leave to dry. Gold requires more care than silver. Therefore, it is recommended to clean the products at least once every two weeks!

Wipe your silver and gold pearl jewelry regularly with a soft velvet cloth to remove dust and dirt. When cleaning, hard-to-reach places and various slits can be treated with a cotton swab. And in order for the products to serve for a long time and retain a presentable appearance, it is very important to properly care for pearls.

How to dry and store pearls

Beads and other pearl jewelry can only be dried in a horizontal position so as not to stretch the thread and damage the design. To do this, lay the products horizontally on soft napkin in a dark and cool place. In no case do not dry pearls under direct sunlight and ultraviolet radiation, next to a battery, radiator or heating device!

Pearls should be stored in a dry and dark place. A suitable option would be a separate box with soft interior decoration. Pearls are wrapped in velor or suede fabric or a bag. It is desirable to store products separately from metal and other stones.

In addition, it is important to follow the rules for caring for pearls:

  • Do not wear pearl jewelry immediately after taking a bath or shower, as the material does not like high humidity;
  • It is not recommended to wear products on dirty skin, as the beads quickly absorb dirt and become dirty;
  • Experts recommend wearing pearl jewelry last, when makeup and preparations are already completed. Remember that perfumes, cosmetics, hairspray and other chemicals adversely affect external state stone. Therefore, it is important that they do not get on the surface of the beads;
  • Protect pearls from direct sunlight, so such jewelry is not recommended to be taken to hot countries;
  • Take pictures after you get home pearl jewelry first. At the same time, when removing, hold the product by the clasp or lock, and not by the beads;
  • After each wear, wipe the jewelry with a dry or slightly damp soft cloth to remove dust and traces of sebum;
  • Store products in a separate box with soft lining. You can put the pearls in a bag or wrap them in a velor or suede cloth;
  • The pearl thread is changed every two or three years, as it is also subject to pollution. In addition, over time, the thread loses strength. If you wear beads every day, change the thread once a year;
  • Separate the beads with knots so that they do not rub against each other;
  • Do not wear pearls with coarse woolen clothing.

In order for products to retain their original appearance, color and luster, it is important to ensure proper care for pearls. At regular cleaning, observing the rules of storage and use, the beads will retain their natural mother-of-pearl radiance, brilliance and beauty for a long time. Remember that this is a delicate jewelry that requires careful care.

Pearls are the first stone used as jewelry since ancient times. Since then, little has changed: mother-of-pearl beads are loved and appreciated by women of all ages for their beauty and lively brilliance. But this capricious stone, like a person, gets sick, grows old and even dies. Therefore, proper care is very important.

How to help pearls keep their beauty and health

Born in the water element in a clam shell, pearls are 10% water. No wonder it is considered alive in some cultures. Like any living being, it is sensitive to the external environment and requires a careful attitude towards itself.

Types and features of pearls - video

Enemies of stone

Ignorance of the characteristics of pearls can lead to a change in its color, loss of luster, cloudiness, and sometimes death.

  1. Vinegar and other acids. There is a legend that Cleopatra, at a feast with Mark Antony, dissolved a pearl in vinegar and drank the drink. History is silent about how this affected the health of the queen. But the fact that acid dissolves pearls is a fact. He is even afraid of her fumes. Remove decorations before cooking or canning with vinegar.
  2. Any aggressive household chemicals detrimental to pearls. Avoid contact with strong alkali, ammonia, peroxide, solvents, chlorine.
  3. The soft surface of pearls is easy to scratch, so contact with sharp objects should be avoided at all costs. It is not recommended to wear a pearl necklace over coarse wool clothing. Do not use even soft abrasives for cleaning - soda, fine salt.
  4. Pearls need moisture, but in moderation. From its excess, the pearls swell and fade, and mold may even appear. Be sure to remove jewelry before taking a shower, bath, especially before going to the bath. Water combined with high temperature harmful to pearls, and dry air makes them brittle and brownish.
  5. Cosmetics - creams, lipsticks, perfumes, hair sprays - harm pearls. Wear jewelry last after applying makeup, hairspray and perfume or eau de toilette.
  6. Delicate stones do not like to sunbathe, preferring sunbeams cool shade.

Now it is impossible to buy pearls found by divers in the depths of the sea: its extraction has long been prohibited. The one sold in jewelry stores is grown on pearl farms. But this does not make the stone artificial, because a person only slightly helps by placing a grain of sand or a piece of mother-of-pearl in the shell.

How to pamper pearls

Take jewelry in your hands more often, sort out pearls, put them on and walk. Pearls love contact with a person, soaking up his energy and skin moisture. From this they come to life, begin to shine.

Pearls need human contact

Pearl reveals all its beauty precisely when it comes into contact with young skin, because with age it loses moisture, which is so necessary for the stone. No wonder in the old days in Rus' unmarried girls it was allowed to wear only pearl jewelry, as a symbol of purity and purity.

Young skin nourishes the pearls with the necessary moisture.

For very dry skin, choose jewelry with a frame.

How to store pearls


Born from Foam: Purifying Pearls

Like any piece of jewelry, pearls need regular cleaning. Make it a habit to wipe your jewelry off with a dry or damp lint-free cloth.

Soap bath for a sissy

If the pearls are dull, yellowed and have a coating on them, wash them with clean water. For heavy pollution need mild soap with a low alkali content, suitable for children. This method is safe for any kind of pearls: sea, river, artificial.


Products with a gold, silver frame require cleaning and metal. Gold and rhodium silver does not darken, does not oxidize in air. It is enough to wash them with soapy water. Unrhoded has no protective coating, darkens and oxidizes on contact with the skin and requires thorough cleaning.

Gold jewelry with pearls is enough to wash in soapy water

It is important to clean the jewelry so as not to damage the pearls.

How to clean pearls with salt

If a soapy bubble bath doesn't help, use salt.

  1. Put the decoration in white napkin and sprinkle with fine salt. You can not rub, but this is not required.
  2. Tie the napkin into a tight knot.
  3. Dip it in a bowl of cool water and rinse until the salt dissolves.
  4. Rinse the product with clean water and dry.

From such a procedure, silver will be cleansed and sparkle, and a wet shimmer will return to pearls, because they were born in salt water. Pamper sometimes sea pearls with salt baths, he will be grateful to you.

Silver jewelry with pearls is cleaned with salt

Purification of pearls with starch

Use potato starch to remove excess moisture, sebum, and impurities from pearls. Just sprinkle stones with this substance, and then wipe them with a velvet cloth.

Starch is used to cleanse pearls of excess moisture and impurities.

If the result home cleaning you are not satisfied, it is better to take the jewelry to the jeweler. It will carefully clean the products, taking into account the characteristics of metal and pearls. Don't even experiment on your own. by professional means for cleaning jewelry: the result can be disastrous.

What Not to Use to Clean Pearls

Everything that pearls are afraid of cannot be used to cleanse it:

  • acids;
  • household chemicals;
  • solvents;
  • peroxide, ammonia, oils;
  • any abrasives;
  • ultrasonic bath.

Some sources advise using the acid's ability to dissolve mother-of-pearl to restore luster to pearls. This method can destroy the decoration irrevocably. Doubtful and recommendations to clean pearls olive oil. After all, fats are one of the elements that harm mother-of-pearl.

The cleaning rules are the same for marine and river stone. But the artificial requires special careful attitude. After all, the mother-of-pearl layer applied to a glass or plastic bead is much thinner than that of natural pearls. This means it is easier to damage.

Love your pearls, treat with care, like a capricious but helpless child. And he will answer you with a gentle radiance and will delight you for many years.

Pearls differ from most gemstones in their origin, they have organic components in their composition. And everything organic tends to grow old over time. This feature must be taken into account during storage, so that an aggressive environment does not destroy ahead of schedule beauty, created over the years. For those who care for pearls carefully, they serve for a very long time, delighting with their mother-of-pearl tints.

Natural pearls are very capricious. He is afraid of excessive moisture and excessive dryness air, interaction with cosmetics and perfumes, does not like to be under the scorching sun, but at the same time wants to be worn often. Imitation pearls are less demanding, it is important for them to avoid contact with organic solvents and sharp objects. Pearls, both natural and artificial, need to create everything the necessary conditions storage: a separate box, so as not to scratch the delicate surface of pearls, and favorable climatic conditions.

Caring for natural pearls

Just as a car that has been sitting idle for a long time begins to rust, so pearls that have not been worn for a long time begin to fade. Being on the body, pearls receive the moisture it needs from the surface of the skin. This keeps it radiant. But at the same time, when wearing a pearl jewelry, it is necessary to protect it from contact with various chemicals. Do not get pearls with hairspray, perfume drops, deodorant splashes, creams, etc. Do not go swimming with pearls.

During wearing, various impurities, dust, particles of sebum and sweat, traces of cosmetics are collected on pearls, therefore, after each use, it is recommended to rinse the jewelry with clean water, preferably filtered, so that there is no chlorine. Wipe with a soft cloth, it is better if it is suede or velveteen, and put it in the box.

Pearls can crack from extreme heat. It is not recommended to wear pearl products in bright sunny weather.

It has a very unfavorable effect on pearls and tobacco smoke, mother-of-pearl ceases to shine and acquires a yellowish tint.

For storage of jewelry with pearls, a velvet bag or a casket lined with velvet is best suited. The main thing is not to store pearls in polyethylene, they will “suffocate” there. In a room with low humidity, it is advisable to place a container of water next to the box where the product with pearls is stored.

If it's time to clean the pearls properly, you need to take a linen bag, dip the jewelry with pearls into it and pour out a teaspoon of salt. Then rinse the bag in the basin with a little warm water until the salt dissolves. The water should not be hot, so as not to spoil the pearls.

You can wash pearls by diluting a small amount of shampoo in water. Another way to clean pearls and remove excess moisture from them is to rub them with potato starch.

Don't try to clean your pearls yourself. various acids. As a result, along with the dirt, the surface of the bead can also dissolve.

When a pearl necklace is worn, dust and other impurities fall not only on the pearls, but also on the thread on which they are strung. There, dirt gradually accumulates and can begin to destroy the pearls from the inside. To save pearls, it is recommended to change the thread about once every couple of years. This can be done in a jewelry workshop, or you can update the thread yourself. We must not forget to tie knots on the thread between the pearls so that they do not rub against each other. The most suitable thread for pearls is silk. It is tender, almost does not stretch, absorbs various foreign substances a little.

Cleaning of gold and silver jewelry with pearls

When cleaning products with pearl inserts, care should be taken not to get the precious material cleaner on the beads. Ideally, in order not to damage the pearls when cleaning precious metals, you need to separate them and clean them separately. Pearls with filtered water, and gold or silver with special cleaning compounds. There are jewelry pastes that can clean pearls and make them shine, but this will give a temporary effect and accelerate aging. precious stone, since the composition of these pastes has a destructive effect on the structure of the pearl.

If it is not possible to clean pearls separately from precious metals, then the jewelry can be washed in a weak solution of baby soap using a soft brush. At the same time, it must be remembered that neither silver nor pearls are useful for a long stay in water. Needs to be cleaned, rinsed and dried quickly soft cloth dry. golden decoration clean, in this case, with a cotton swab, which is moistened in cologne.

In order for the pearl jewelry to radiate a mother-of-pearl radiance for a long time, even when it is not worn, it is necessary to take it out of the box from time to time and wipe it with a piece of velvet.