Mrs Hinch shares vinegar cleaning trick for jewellery
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A popular TikTok hack that suggests coating jewellery in clear nail polish prevents tarnishing has gone viral. This sounds like an easy and cost-effective way to keep your jewellery looking brand new, but experts are warning against it. Express.co.uk chatted to the team at Ramsdens Jewellery to find out why this hack is pointless and risky and discover different ways to prevent tarnishing.
A popular hack suggested by @batshevahaart on TikTok advises people to coat their jewellery in clear nail varnish to prevent it from tarnishing.
More than 14,000 people liked the video and viewers flocked to the comments to announce their surprise at this “life-changing” hack.
However, the jewellery experts at Ramsdens Jewellery have exposed this hack as totally damaging. Here’s why you should NEVER try it.
While it may sound like clear nail varnish would act as a barrier to help protect your jewellery, it can actually cause a lot of damage.
The experts said: “The varnish can harm precious gemstones, and leave them looking duller over time. Plus, it can be extremely difficult to take off.
“Most nail varnish removers contain a solvent called acetone, which can erode the precious metals used in jewellery, according to Brides.
“This means that to get the varnish off and prevent it from causing more damage, you’d need to pay to get it cleaned at your local jewellers.”
This hack isn’t just damaging for your jewellery, it can damage the wearer.
Ramsdens Jewellery’s experts said: “The toxins in some types of nail polish can be extremely damaging to both your skin and your insides.
“For example, triphenyl phosphate — a common ingredient in nail varnish — has been found to interfere with hormones when absorbed by the body according to Duke University.
“So to keep both your jewellery and your body safe, ditch this hack and replace it with better methods that will help your jewellery last longer.”
It’s far easier to prevent jewellery from tarnishing than reverse the damage, so taking good care of it will save you a lot of hassle in the long run.
The experts advised: “One of the most important things you can do is keep all your items clean and dry, as moisture can tarnish your jewellery over time.
“This means keeping your precious items free of hand creams, moisturisers, sweat, and anything else that could be damaging the metal.”
Preventative measures aren’t enough, you should clean your jewellery every fortnight with mild dish soap and water and gently dry it with a cloth.
The experts added: “You should also keep it in a box rather than out in the open, as this will prevent the metal from oxidising in the air.”
You should also separate your jewellery because different metals can tarnish the other – split up your silvers and golds.
The experts advise everyone to purchase a cushioned box jewellery box with a soft lining to protect their items from damage against a hard surface.
They added: “A protectant spray doesn’t just prevent tarnishing, but it can also stop people with sensitive skin from getting bad reactions to costume jewellery.
“However, every item is different, so the only way to be sure is to ask for advice from the jeweller you bought it from.”
If you have a piece of jewellery that is already showing signs of tarnishing, don’t worry — this doesn’t mean that it’s too late!
Take it to your local jeweller to ask for their advice on what to do before ruining your precious items with DIY TikTok hacks.
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