“Is all this hand-washing hurting my rings?”
We HAVE to keep washing our hands, it’s the best way to stay healthy. Here’s a Justice Jewelers public service announcement:
Keep washing, your jewelry will be fine!
The good news: hand sanitizers will not remove the tough
rhodium coating that’s on a ring.
But there are a few things you should know: Hand sanitizers come in two varieties: alcohol-based and non–alcohol-based. The ones with alcohol are fine for jewelry — and the CDC recommends them — but non–alcohol-based ones typically use chlorine-based compounds that could react with water and cause tarnishing, especially of sterling silver.
If anything, you should be cleaning your jewelry more. Think of all that buildup of everyday crud under rings… alcohol-based hand sanitizers will kill the baddies then evaporates fast, and are safe.
Soaps are a different story. Stronger soaps can contain abrasives, (like Lava) that could damage the surface of jewelry and cause rhodium to be worn away.
What about diamonds and sapphires? Sanitizers won’t damage them, but soap can leave a filmy residue on the stones over time, dulling the sparkle. It’s not permanent, though, and nothing a quick soak in our ultrasonic at the store can’t fix.
Pearls are special. Recently-sanitized skin should not come into contact with your pearls until completely dry and evaporated—wait about five minutes. As with perfumes and hairspray, the alcohol in the hand sanitizer can damage the surface of a pearl, causing a loss of luster and a change in color.
Bottom line? Most jewelry will be just fine as you make frequent hand-washing and sanitizing a habit.
Please stop during our store hours, to say hi and get a professional cleaning at NO CHARGE!
Stop by 217 East Blackstock Road, Spartanburg SC
Skatells Jewelers 