Posted by Noelle Min
on November 13, 2026
Have you ever passed your hand by your face and had that funky odor float past you?
Unfortunately, that might be that beautiful piece of jewelry on your finger.
Despite the beauty and quality of your sparkling accessories, jewelry can still get dirty, lose its shine, develop scratches, or become a tangled mess in your vanity drawer.
Here’s everything you need to know about cleaning and caring for your jewelry!
The Golden Rule:
You might’ve heard of the saying, Last on, First off. The first step to caring for your jewelry everyday is following the Golden Rule of jewelry wear:
Your jewelry goes on LAST when getting ready! This means, perfumes, lotions, makeup, and all other products go on (and dry!) first before you add the last sparkling touch. After the day is done, or the night is over, your jewelry comes off FIRST before anything else.
This is a great way to protect your jewelry from tarnish, harmful chemicals, and dullness.
Everyday Care & Storage
To protect your jewelry - always take off necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings before swimming, bathing, or exercising. Water and sweat will cause that shine from your moonstone ring to begin to dull and may leave traces of dirt and bacteria.
Soft & separated - two key tips for storing your jewelry. It’s best to store jewelry separated in a soft bag, between jewelry box compartments, or in a small ziploc bag with the air squeezed out. This will keep your pieces from becoming a tangled, jumbled mess and protect them from scratching or buffing.
Cleaning
Before cleaning your jewelry, identify what material it is. If it’s gold plated like these Golden Canopy Earrings, sterling silver, pearl, or a sparkling gemstone, the cleaning method will vary for each material.
Gold
If your jewelry is gold-plated, mild soap and warm water does the trick! Avoid any harsh, abrasive soaps. Place your jewelry in a warm water bath and clean it gently with the soap and rinse with warm water. Avoid over-cleaning plated pieces, as the plating is thin and delicate. After your jewelry is completely dry, buff it with a soft microfiber cloth.
Sterling Silver
If your Faithful Sterling Silver Cross Necklace or Starfish Hope Necklace needs some love, use a silver polishing cloth to clean any aggressive discoloration and tarnishing off. The key to caring for your sterling silver jewelry is how you store it. Keep your jewelry in cool, dry, airtight containers or soft, tarnish-resistant bags to protect it.
Pearls
One of the true beauties of Starfish Project’s jewelry collections are its bright, shining pearls. For jewelry that has pearls like the Pearl Glow Bracelet - occasionally clean with warm soapy water. Use a very soft toothbrush to get to any dirt or oil buildup. Make sure the bristles are soft and unabrasive as pearls can be easily scratched and dulled. Rinse and dry your jewelry, then wipe each pearl gently with a soft microfiber cloth.
Take extra care when storing Pearl and Mother of Pearl jewelry. Pearls are much softer than your regular metal or hard gemstone jewelry. Store pieces separately, in soft, clean jewelry bags or boxes.
Stones & Gemstones
Never soak your Emperor Stone Constellation Earrings, Yuyu Gemstone bracelet, or Clara Enamel Hoops. Stones, gemstones, and enamel should be gently wiped down instead of submerged in soapy water. Dip a soft cloth or soft toothbrush into warm water with a drop of mild soap and wipe down any dirt and dust off of the jewelry. Wipe off soapy water with clean warm water, and pat dry immediately. Never leave your stone or gemstone jewelry wet or damp.
Most jewelry made by Starfish Project is handcrafted from several beautiful materials. Always use the cleaning method for the most delicate material to gently care for your jewelry.
Author: Noelle Min
Noelle is an Operations Intern at Starfish Project. She is a pre-law undergraduate student at the Ohio State University, studying Industrial Systems Engineering and nonprofit management.
