Ever wondered how to clean a Pandora bracelet at home? Well you might have noticed some hacks doing the rounds on TikTok this week, however it turns out they may do more harm than good.
One such tip is using foil and baking soda, however, while the results are impressive, it could harm your jewellery in the long run. Sarah Rowlands of Pandora busts the myth.
The foil and baking soda method
'The most popular cleaning hack taking TikTok by storm over the past week has been putting your jewellery in an aluminium foil lined bowl with a mixture of baking soda, salt and boiling water. While the immediate results of this hack can appear very effective at cleaning your jewellery, the baking soda is a very harsh and abrasive ingredient that will scratch your delicate jewellery,' she says.
'With continued use of this method you can expect your jewellery to become more and more damaged, especially in the case of plated jewellery as you will gradually notice erosion of the plating. Even just using boiling water can be a risky choice as this may encourage your gems or stones to dislodge as the heat melts the bonding glue keeping them securely in place. '
Cleaning your jewellery with a toothbrush
Sarah says, 'Another popular idea you should give a miss is using an old toothbrush to scrape away the dirt that accumulates in the intricate gaps of your jewellery. Again, this is much too harsh for your precious metals, and, not to mention, spreads bacteria from the old toothbrush to your jewellery.'
How to clean your Pandora bracelet at home
Your best bet is to get your jewellery cleaned by the professionals, since it's their job to do this without damaging the jewellery.
'These are the best people for the job to give it a professional, safe clean and they’ll also check the stone settings to make sure nothing is loose or at risk of falling out,' she says.
However, if you do want to give your Pandora bracelet a quick clean at home, you can follow these simple steps (and read the full guide here).
'For regular maintenance, jewellery cleaning solutions are a quick two-minute dip with liquid that is specifically formulated with gentle, non-abrasive surfactants to clean your jewellery without causing damage. You should also buff your jewellery with a polishing cloth every now and then to keep on top of any tarnish that naturally occurs with exposure to the air. This will keep your jewellery shining with minimal effort.
'However, if you’re in need of a quick on the spot fix, the safest hack to clean up a dirty piece of jewellery is to place it in lukewarm water with some washing-up liquid and leave to soak. If you have a new, soft bristle brush then gently brush over your jewellery focusing on any nooks and crannies and only rinse with warm water.'
