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As with any product, the life span of your Designs by Debi™ jewelry will depend on the care you give it. Here are some suggestions to help you keep your jewelry looking new.

General Jewelry Care

Clean your jewelry after each wearing with a soft cloth before putting it away. This will remove the oils from your skin and debris picked up throughout the day and help prevent tarnish.

Do not put your jewelry on until AFTER you have dressed and applied any cosmetics, hairspray, perfume, lotions and other chemicals. These can dull and even harm your jewelry.

Do not sleep with your jewelry on. This causes unnecessary stress on the components and will make them more likely to break.

Remove jewelry before doing household chores, especially when washing dishes. Remember, many household cleaners contain bleach or other harsh chemicals that are harmful to jewelry.

Do not wear your jewelry swimming or in the shower. Avoid wearing it around chlorinated pools and hot tubs, salt water, mineral springs and suntan lotion.

When not wearing your jewelry store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

Keep your jewelry pieces separated to avoid scratching. I recommend storing each piece in its own zip-top bag with the air squeezed out and I provide one with each piece of jewelry.

Be sure to avoid chemicals like alcohol, ammonia, bleach, chlorine, acetone, hairspray, perfume and cosmetics.

Swarovski® Crystal Jewelry

A soft, lint-free cloth can be used to restore the brilliant sparkle of Swarovski® Crystal. Simply hold the cloth between your thumb and fingers and roll the crystals back and forth, continuing along the piece until you have cleaned them all.

If they require more than just cleaning with a cloth, you can use a soft, moist cloth or even baby wipes to clean them.

Sterling Silver Jewelry

The first important way to keep jewelry from tarnishing is to keep it clean. If you put it away tarnished, the tarnish will worsen during storage.

Avoid abrasive polishes, dips or scrubbing tools. And remember, dips and commercial jewelry cleaning products will remove the antique patina and any oxidized detailing on silver, gold and copper.

For minor cleaning, use a soft silver polishing cloth.

Do not dry sterling silver with paper towels or tissues because they can scratch the silver. Always use a soft cloth.

Exposure to air, humidity and moisture causes tarnish. To minimize tarnish, store your piece in a zip-top bag with the air squeezed out.

A diluted solution of mild dish liquid and water can be used to clean your silver jewelry. Be sure that you dry it thoroughly removing all traces of moisture before putting it away.

Gold Vermeil Jewelry

Brighten it up with a jewelry polishing cloth.

Gold-Filled Jewelry

Lightly clean it using mild dish soap, water and a soft toothbrush. Be sure to dry it thoroughly when done with a soft cloth. You may also like to let it air dry for a time before putting it away.

Copper Jewelry

Copper tarnishes over time just like silver. If you like the antique patina, you can just keep it clean by wiping it with a soft cloth. Remember, dips and commercial jewelry cleaning products will remove the antique patina and any oxidized detailing on silver, gold and copper.

Exposure to air, humidity and moisture causes tarnish. To minimize tarnish, store your piece in a zip-top bag with the air squeezed out.

Glass Bead Jewelry

Glass beads can be cleaned with mild dish soap and warm water. Dry them thoroughly with a soft cloth before putting them away. You may also wish to air dry them for a time to be sure there is no moisture remaining in the bead holes.

Freshwater Pearl Jewelry

Freshwater pearls are soft and can be easily scratched. They can also be damaged by extreme dryness, but never immerse them completely in water. An occasional cleaning with a moist, soft cloth is best.

Be sure to avoid chemicals like alcohol, ammonia, bleach, chlorine, acetone, hairspray, perfume and cosmetics.

Do not use a silver polishing cloth on pearls.

Semi-Precious Gemstone Jewelry

Do not use dips or abrasive cleaners on gemstones.

Do not use an ultrasonic cleaner, ammonia or other chemical solution to clean opaque gemstones like onyx, turquoise, and opals. These stones are porous and may absorb the chemicals causing discoloration.

Do not immerse your semi-precious gemstone jewelry in water.

Wipe them gently with a moist cloth and then dry them with a soft, lint-free cloth before putting them away.

Do not store semi-precious gemstones in direct sunlight.

Illusion Jewelry

Illusion style jewelry should ideally hang for storage away from direct sunlight. If not stored properly it tends to become kinked and out of shape.

To fix a kinked or out of shape illusion piece, hold the section under a running warm water and gently run your fingers over the affected area to reshape it. Pat it dry with a soft cloth and hang it overnight.

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