Piercings are a sign of your personality and your lifestyle. To ensure that your piercing jewelry always looks beautiful, shiny and radiant, you should clean and care for it regularly. The general rule is: if you have a freshly pierced piercing, let it heal completely before you replace the jewelry. Piercing jewelry is available in a wide variety of versions and materials - surgical steel, silver, gold, platinum and a few others. Each material has different characteristics and properties. This means that the care of the jewelry is also very individual. You can find out how to best clean your jewelry and give it a new shine here:
Piercing jewelry made of gold
Gold is one of the most beautiful metals and is becoming increasingly popular in piercing jewelry. Like many other metals, gold can tarnish over time. It does not turn as black as silver, but it loses its shine and radiance. The surface quickly appears dull and matte. There are a few things to keep in mind when cleaning gold jewelry. Basically, you should care for your jewelry very carefully to avoid scratches and other damage. Steel wool, aggressive scouring agents or coarse brushes are absolutely taboo for gold!
Cleaning gold jewelry with dish washing liquid
To clean gold piercings, you should have a bowl, dish washing liquid and a soft cloth ready. Pour lukewarm water with a splash of dish washing liquid into the bowl and let the jewelry rest in this water bath for about 15 minutes. A small, very soft baby toothbrush can be helpful to carefully remove dirt from the threads. Then wipe the jewelry with a soft microfiber cloth and polish it - done.
Cleaning gold jewelry with baking powder
To polish gold piercings and give them a radiant shine, you can also simply put some baking powder (or baking soda) on a soft cloth and gently rub the jewelry with it.
Caring for gold piercings with onion juice
Simple but very effective: Cut an onion and rub half of it over the gold piercing. Then let the piercing, which is moistened with onion juice, rest for two hours. Then rinse under lukewarm water and polish with a soft cloth.
Piercing jewelry made of silver
Silver jewelry is extremely popular, but oxidation causes it to tarnish very quickly and turn black. This process is completely natural. It is generally said that silver tarnishes black when exposed to air and moisture. In fact, the cause is hydrogen sulfide, which is contained in the air. When combined with silver, hydrogen sulfide turns into silver sulfide. This forms a dark discoloration on the silver - it oxidizes. Silver piercings therefore need regular attention to maintain their beautiful shimmering shine.
Cleaning piercings with silver cleaning cloths
The easiest and quickest way to clean tarnished silver jewelry is to use a silver cleaning cloth or silver polish with a soft sponge. Tarnished areas can be cleaned again without much effort and the radiant shine returns. For silver that is almost black, several applications may be necessary. When using a silver polish, please follow the instructions on the packaging.
Piercings in a silver bath
A particularly gentle method for cleaning silver piercings is a silver bath. There are ready-made solutions for this on the market. Alternatively, you can prepare your own silver bath. Simply line a bowl with aluminum foil, put a tablespoon of salt and a tablespoon of baking soda in the bowl. Then pour half a liter of hot water over it. Put the jewelry in the solution and let it soak for about 3 minutes. Deposits dissolve as if by magic. Then rub the jewelry dry with a soft cloth and polish it. Repeat the process for heavily tarnished jewelry.
Cleaning piercings with toothpaste
This method is possible and undoubtedly works, but it is still somewhat controversial. Since toothpaste contains abrasive particles, it is possible that the jewelry will get small scratches from rubbing the paste. If you want to clean your jewelry with toothpaste, it is important that you rinse your piercing with warm water after treating it with toothpaste and then dry it with a soft cloth. After all, you also rinse your mouth after brushing your teeth.
Silver piercings in a beer bath
Yes, this is also an effective way to give your silver jewelry a boost. To do this, pour undiluted beer into a bowl, put the jewelry in it and leave it to work overnight. In the meantime, you can enjoy the rest of the beer. The next morning, rinse the jewelry, wipe dry - done.
Piercings made of surgical steel
Most piercings are made of stainless steel or surgical steel. The material is particularly skin-friendly, has a beautiful shine and is easy to care for.
Cleaning surgical steel with detergent
Surgical steel is particularly robust and hard-wearing. It is rustproof and does not tarnish. However, dirt can stick to the jewelry. This often makes the piercings look a little darker and duller. The easiest way to clean surgical steel piercings is to use dish washing liquid. To do this, put some warm water in a bowl, add a splash of dish washing liquid and let the jewelry soak in it for around 10 to 15 minutes. Then rub it off with a soft cloth and the jewelry will shine like new. You can also use a small hand brush to remove stubborn dirt - surgical steel can handle it.
Glass piercings
It is best to clean glass piercings with warm water and a drop of dish washing liquid, otherwise the surface will quickly become scratched. Glass is very easy to clean, but requires gentle treatment.
Wooden piercings
Wood is a natural material that changes over time - this is normal. Wood has a porous structure, so germs, dirt and sweat stick to it more easily. The best way to clean your wooden piercings is with a damp cloth and a fine hand or toothbrush. Do not soak the piercings in water, otherwise they could swell, which would change the dimensions and make reinsertion almost impossible.
Piercings with gemstones
Real jewelry made of gold or platinum with real gemstones should be entrusted to a professional for cleaning. The risk is too high that a stone could come loose from the setting. Jewelers also have particularly fine tools that can be used to gently remove impurities from gemstones and their settings.
Piercings with gemstones
If you are concerned that you could damage the gemstone in your piercing, you can go to a jeweler who will be happy to clean your body jewelry professionally, safely and reliably. If you want to clean it yourself, you should definitely do it with great sensitivity. Use a damp cloth with a drop of washing-up liquid. You can carefully clean the gemstones with a soft baby toothbrush. This small brush also allows you to get into the corners and along the settings.
Flesh tunnels and plugs
Flesh tunnels and plugs, like piercings, are available in different materials. The same recommendations apply here as for piercing jewelry. With flesh tunnels or plugs, however, you should pay particular attention to cleaning the surfaces that come into contact with your skin. With screwed flesh tunnels, you should also make sure to clean the threads.
Perfectly cared for - so you can enjoy your jewelry for a long time
Regular cleaning of your piercing jewelry will bring back the shine and luster of your piercing. You should always take your piercings apart to clean them - always clean bars and balls or attachments separately, and don't forget the threads. Harsh cleaning agents have no place on your body jewelry. Piercings should be cleaned gently and without abrasive cleaners. All piercings can be cared for excellently with simple products and a soft cloth. If you want to clean your piercings in the bathroom, don't forget to close the sink drain. Otherwise, there is a high probability that one or two pieces of jewelry will end up in the siphon or disappear forever. Take your time and handle your jewelry carefully. The better you care for them, the longer you will enjoy them.
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