

If you’re hitting the beach or hanging out in the pool, it’s best to remove your jewelry first or not wear them at all to avoid water damage.īlue Sapphire: Meanings, Properties and Powers If you can get the small silica gel packs, make sure you store your jewelry alongside them to absorb any excess moisture. Never store them when they’re damp or dirty. In order to avoid verdigris, your jewelry should be kept in a cool and dry place. Verdigris occurs when jewelry is not properly protected or cared for against the elements. The sooner you catch early signs of verdigris, the sooner you can start removing it! This will allow you to check them for green gunk in its earliest stages. Make sure that you get your jewelry out of storage once in a while even if you don’t plan on using or wearing them. It’s strongly advised that you don’t pile your jewelry together and leave it untouched or unused for months or years. Make sure that before you put your jewelry away, there’s no residue makeup, dirt, or moisture present. Proper storage of your precious jewelry will prevent damage from green gunk. Things That You Can Do to Prevent Green Gunk Buildup Rinse it well afterwards and allow it to dry thoroughly. Lay your jewelry on a paper towel and put a little ketchup on the green gunk. The same caution with using vinegar should be taken when using ketchup. Ketchup is also acidic and can stay in place. Did you know that ketchup can also be used to help clean green gunk on jewelry? This will protect the other parts of your jewelry that should not be exposed to vinegar. But instead of soaking the whole thing in the vinegar, you can use a cotton ball instead.ĭip the cotton ball in the vinegar and leave it on the part of the jewelry that only has verdigris. If the green gunk is only present in some parts of your jewelry, you can still do the vinegar method. However, don’t do the vinegar soak for jewelry with rhinestones that have foil backings, pearls, or fake pearls. Rinse it well in water and then dry it with a soft and clean cloth. Pour some white vinegar in a cup or a bowl and soak your verdigris-filled jewelry for about half an hour.Īfter the half hour is through, you can pull your jewelry out and brush it again with a toothbrush. Vinegar can be used to clean green gunk on your jewelry.Ĭhlorite Crystal: Meanings, Properties and Powers You should know that vinegar is not only used for cooking but for many other cleaning purposes as well. Vinegar can help clean green gunk on jewelry. There are still some home chemical treatments which you can try. If using metal polish does not completely remove the green gunk, don’t panic.

You may need to do this a couple of times depending on how much green gunk there is.įinish polishing your jewelry pieces until you’re satisfied with how it looks. Scrub it for about 30 seconds and check for any changes. Just squeeze a pea-sized amount of the polish on a soft and clean cloth and rub it on your jewelry with green gunk. They are slightly abrasive creams that will help clean green gunk on jewelry as well as dirt from other kinds of metals. Metal polishes can be purchased in most hardware stores. You can also use metal polish to help clean green gunk on jewelry.Īfter brushing off as much green gunk as you can with your toothpick, toothbrush, and pencil eraser, you can move on to using metal polish. Use it dry and brush it on the green gunk, removing as much as you can without damaging the jewelry.Įrasing the green gunk with a pencil eraser can also do the trick, especially if the green gunk is not old and tough.

Use a brush with soft bristles so as not to scratch the surface of your jewelry, especially if they are vintage or antique pieces. If you’re trying to clean a bigger area, you can replace the toothpick with a pencil eraser or a toothbrush. This will work in the tiniest or tightest spots, like the clasps or chains. Scrape small amounts of the green gunk from tiny spots or hard to reach areas of your jewelry.

You can help clean green gunk on jewelry with the use of a toothpick. Doing These Things Will Help Clean Green Gunk on Jewelry 1. If you store your good jewelry with a piece that already has verdigris on it, it will easily get infected with this green gunk as well. When a small part of the plating is worn very thin, chipped, or removed, the surface is a ripe breeding ground for verdigris to form. Verdigris can grow on pure and alloy forms of bronze, brass, and copper, as well as items that are gold or silver plated. Yellow Turquoise: Meanings, Properties and Powers
