Natural pearls tend to turn yellow and tarnish over time. Numerous factors negatively affect this unique natural mineral: cigarette smoke, perfume and aerosols accidentally hitting the mother-of-pearl surface, as well as bright sunlight, excessive dryness of the air or, on the contrary, high humidity. You can whiten pearls not only by professionals, but also at home, according to old recipes.
It is necessary
- - water
- - baby soap
- - lemon acid
- - salt
- - canvas bag
- - suede leather
Instructions
Step 1
Make a soapy solution in a bowl or shallow basin. Dissolve a quarter bar of baby white soap in water and rinse the pearls. Then take another bar of soap and beat it in your hands into a strong lather. Apply foam to the jewelry, lightly rub the pearls. Then wipe them off with a damp cloth. This method is suitable as a remedy for light, slight yellowing or tarnishing of the mother-of-pearl.
Step 2
Take a small canvas bag, pour fine salt into it so that it covers the bottom with one finger. Place the pearls in a bag, tie them up and dip them in lukewarm water. Rinse until all the salt is dissolved. Then take out the jewelry without wiping it off and air dry. Wipe with a suede cloth.
Step 3
Prepare a weak citric acid solution and immerse pearls in it for a day. If there is no visible result, keep the mineral in the solution for the same amount. Then wipe the pearls with suede or velvet and apply egg white on them. Leave it on for a few hours, then wash off with warm water.
Step 4
Contact a jewelry workshop if the yellowness has affected the deep layers of mother-of-pearl, and cleaning the pearls at home was not effective. Professionals will restore the whiteness and shine to the jewelry using a solution of hydrochloric acid. It is worth being wary if you are offered ultrasonic or abrasive cleaning, since these methods are not considered sparing and are not applied to natural pearls.
