Beaded jewelry is not like ordinary jewelry; it needs special care. The following beaded jewelry care tips will help you prolong the life of a handcrafted piece made with beads!
Beaded Jewelry Care Tips
Beadwork is usually created with seed beads. Seed beads are made with glass. Everything made with glass is fragile. And therefore, every beaded jewelry piece is very delicate to handle and to wear!
How to Wear
While beadwork is usually is very pleasant to touch, it still should be handled with care. If dropped on a floor, some glass beads might crack or break.
Do not swim in beaded jewelry or soak it in water for a long time.
It is better to avoid beadwork contact with perfume and cosmetics, especially if it is bead embroidery. Bead embroidery usually has fabric or leather backing, which is hard to clean from fat-based or chemical products.
How to Clean
It is best to clean beadwork after each use. Just wipe it with a clean paper towel or soft cloth.
As I mentioned above, beadwork doesn’t like to be soaked in water. Also, do not use alcohol or any harsh chemicals to clean it.
If you need to wash it, leave it on a towel to dry. Do not iron it or blow with a hairdryer.
Never clean beaded jewelry in manufactured jewelry cleaner solution!
How to Store
Beadwork is best kept clean and away from sunlight. That doesn’t mean you can’t wear it on a sunny day, of course. Prolong sunlight exposure might affect the color of beads.
It is better to keep it in a jewelry case. A regular jewelry box with a cover is also a good option.
Do not hang beaded pieces! They most likely become distorted if hung for a long time.
What if you have many beaded jewelry items and run out of space to store them? Do not pile them on top of each other. Sore separately. I use soft fabric pieces between beaded items in one box.
How to Transport
I like to travel, and I often bring several beaded jewelry pieces with me on a trip.
While carrying jewelry boxes is not a convenient option for many, fabric jewelry cases made for traveling are a much better choice. Make sure to put the fabric case next to sturdy things to protect or even hide in a shoe.
Still, I wouldn’t travel with a big necklace. (One of the reasons I’m not too fond of bulky jewelry pieces). I like to travel with pendants, bracelets, and fancy earrings.
I follow all the recommendations above all the time! However, accidents happen to a very careful person, too. I once dropped a beaded pendant the minute I finished working on it. One of the beads broke, and it was very hard to replace it. I recommend keeping beaded jewelry on a flat surface even when you are just looking at it.
Did you have any accidents handling fragile jewelry? How do you store your beadwork creations?
