Jewelry CAre Instructions

  Beads

• ~ Apply cosmetics, hair products, lotions, perfumes, and powders before donning your jewelry.
• ~ Prevent your items from being exposed to moisture.
• ~ Remove your pieces before showering, swimming, sunbathing, and exercising.
• ~ Prevent damage and breakage by removing your jewelry at bedtime.
• ~ Keep all wearable pieces of art out of direct sunlight.
• ~ Metals may tarnish over time due to oxygen and natural body oils.
• ~ To reduce tarnishing, store jewelry in a sealed bag or box in a dry, dark, and cool place.
• ~ Handle with care

Chainmaille

• ~ Keep jewelry away from household cleaners and chlorine.
• ~ When not wearing your jewelry, store each piece in its own Ziploc® or soft fabric bag. Keep in a dark place. This reduces tarnish, keeps softer metals from being scratched, and preserves colored rings longer.
• ~ Always handle your jewelry gently. Remember that most chainmaille links are not soldered closed, and can therefore be pulled open. Treat your chainmaille just as you would handle a delicate pearl necklace or crystal bracelet.
• ~Your jewelry can pick up dirt, oil, and even odors. To clean most metals (sterling silver, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, niobium, and gold-fill), soak jewelry in soapy water (use non-lotion dishwashing soap) for several minutes. Then lather with soap and gently but briskly rub the jewelry between your palms. Rinse with warm water and let air dry, or use a blow dryer on lowest and coolest setting.
• ~ You can polish most chainmaille in a tumbler. Use stainless steel shot, or simply add a bit of water and non-lotion dishsoap. If not using shot, make sure to tumble several pieces at once so that there is enough friction to shine the rings.
• ~ Refer to the guidelines below for additional care and cleaning details for specific metals.

Aluminum

• ~ Aluminum is a soft metal, so be extra gentle.
• ~ Aluminum doesn't tarnish, but it will pick up oils and dirt, causing it to become dull. Follow cleaning instructions under General Care. Over time, aluminum will corrode slightly, losing a bit of shininess. It stops corroding once its surface layer has corroded.
• ~ I use an alloy of aluminum known to maillers as Bright Aluminum. This alloy is shinier and stronger than regular aluminum. Some people may notice a black rub-off where the aluminum touches their skin. (How much of a rub-off may depend on the acid content of your skin; several people who have reactions to copper also react to aluminum.) 
• ~ It is widely accepted that aluminum is very poorly absorbed through the skin, so you do not need to worry about metal toxicity.