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Care for Pearls "Keep Your Pearls Happy"How should you care for pearls? Keep pearls happy and healthy by wearing them. Natural body oils sometimes aid in maintaining the luster on the nacre of pearls, but body oils differ from person to person. For some, the best thing you can do for your pearls is to "wear them." They can be gently wiped off after use with a soft cloth.
Clean them periodically, because they will become soiled and can be gently washed using a mild soap and soft cloth, but don't wear them in the shower or bath. Too much soap can harm them. My friend, Mary, from Texas, offers this suggestion as a way to care for pearls by cleaning them periodically as needed. Keep them from caustic chemicals and put them on "after" your perfume. Avoid spraying perfume or hair spray directly on your pearls. Coatings of hairspray will make the pearls dull. Never wear pearl rings while washing dishes or bathing...the pearls can become dislodged and be lost...making for a sad day...it's happened to me. It's also advisable to remove pierced earrings at bedtime...they can get lost. Restringing is advisable occasionally, if worn often. There's really no mystery to restinging pearls, but it takes the proper thin beading needle, silk or synthetic thread and practice. Experts thread and knot them in only a few minutes. This skill and speed come after time.
Silk or synthetic thread can be purchased if you care to try it yourself. See below to purchase silk beading thread. White is the most common color used. A good technique for restringing is to find a soft surface, something that will keep the pearls from rolling off, such as a piece of foam and unstring them (the knots will need to be cut...ouch) carefully placing them on the surface, keeping the order (often the sizes are graduated). Attach on end of the clasp and restring them all, using double thread, leaving lots of extra string and knot away, making sure to get the knots close to each pearl. (That's the tricky part). Using a needle to guide the pearl can help. Once knotted tie on the other clasp end. Synthetic thread after cut should be singed with a small flame, burning the ends for a strong bond. (Only a quick flick is needed. Too much flame with burn and break the string. Then you need to start all over again...ouch.) Professional restringing, however, is recommended. Click here for a more detailed description on how to knot pearls.
Care of Pearls from Mikimoto Pearl Island Museum, Toba, Japan"Wipe after wearing with a soft damp or dry cloth. This prevents dirt from accumulating and keeps perspiration which is acidic or alkaline from eating at the pearl layer."
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