Your jewellery is made to be worn. But even waterproof jewellery needs a little love.
We wear our favourite pieces through everything. We shower in them, sleep in them, exercise in them, wash our hair in them and sometimes barely take them off.
That's exactly why they need cleaning.
Water isn't really the issue. It's everything else your jewellery meets along the way: shampoo, conditioner, soap, skincare, makeup, fake tan, hair products, sweat and natural skin oils.
Over time, all of that can build up around your jewellery, particularly behind earrings, underneath stones and around flat backs.
So our jewellery-care philosophy is pretty simple:
Splash, shower, swim and wear, just remember monthly care. 💦✨
Waterproof Doesn't Mean It Cleans Itself
Think about your reusable water bottle.
It's literally designed to hold water every single day. You rinse it, refill it and use it constantly, but you still give it a proper clean because residue and everyday buildup accumulate over time.
Your everyday jewellery is similar.
Showering or swimming in waterproof jewellery doesn't replace actually cleaning it. While you're in the shower, your jewellery is also coming into contact with shampoo, conditioner, body wash and other products.
Getting wet and getting clean aren't necessarily the same thing.
That's why we recommend giving regularly worn jewellery a proper clean approximately once a month.
Our Once-a-Month Jewellery Routine
You don't need a complicated collection of jewellery-cleaning products.
Keep it simple:
- Use fresh water and a small amount of mild soap.
- Gently clean your jewellery using a soft cloth.
- Pay attention to backs, posts, settings and little areas where product can collect.
- Rinse thoroughly with fresh water.
- Dry completely with a clean, soft cloth.
That's it!
If you don't wear a piece regularly, you don't necessarily need to stick to a monthly schedule. Just give it a clean periodically and before storing it away for longer periods.
The exact care can also change slightly depending on what your jewellery is made from.
925 Sterling Silver
We LOVE 925 Sterling Silver, but like all precious metals, it appreciates regular care.
Sterling Silver naturally reacts with its environment over time. That's a normal characteristic of genuine silver, and regular cleaning helps keep it looking beautiful.
For regularly worn 925 Sterling Silver pieces, follow our monthly fresh water + mild soap routine, rinse thoroughly and dry completely.
Plain 925 Sterling Silver can also be gently polished with a soft jewellery polishing cloth when it needs a little extra shine.
Try not to leave your silver sitting wet when you're finished wearing or cleaning it. When it's not being worn, keep it somewhere clean and dry.
Our tip: Clean first, dry completely, then gently polish when needed. ✨
14k Gold-Plated Sterling Silver
Gold-plated jewellery needs a slightly gentler touch.
Our gold-plated pieces have a 925 Sterling Silver base with 14k gold plating, so while they're waterproof and made for everyday wear, you still want to look after that beautiful plated finish.
For pieces you regularly wear, gently clean them approximately once a month using fresh water, mild soap and a soft cloth. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely.
Avoid aggressive scrubbing, abrasive polishing and harsh chemical jewellery cleaners. You don't need to attack your jewellery to get it clean.
If your jewellery is accidentally exposed to harsh chemicals, chlorine, strong beauty products or cleaning products, we recommend giving it a good rinse with fresh water as soon as practical and drying it completely. Don't leave chemical or product residue sitting on the surface.
With plating, gentle is always better.
Implant Grade Titanium ASTM F136
If you're wearing our flat backs every single day, this section is especially for you.
Implant Grade Titanium ASTM F136 is wonderfully low maintenance and highly resistant to corrosion, but your jewellery can still collect a surprising amount of everyday buildup.
Think shampoo, conditioner, skincare, makeup and natural skin oils.
And with flat backs, a lot of it can hide where you don't immediately see it.
For fully healed piercings, give regularly worn titanium jewellery a proper clean approximately once a month with fresh water, mild soap and a soft cloth.
Pay extra attention to:
- Behind your flat-back disc
- Underneath decorative tops
- Around CZ stones
- Around the post
- Small gaps and settings where product can collect
Rinse with fresh water and dry completely.
It's also a good opportunity to check your jewellery. Make sure threaded tops are properly secured and threadless push-pin tops are still sitting firmly.
Important: If your piercing is new or still healing, piercing aftercare is different from general jewellery maintenance. Follow the advice of your professional piercer rather than regularly removing healing jewellery for cleaning.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is incredibly easy to look after.
It's durable, waterproof and highly resistant to corrosion, but yes, it still needs cleaning.
For regularly worn pieces, use fresh water, mild soap and a soft cloth approximately once a month.
Rinse thoroughly and dry completely.
If you've been wearing the same piece through showers, skincare, workouts and everything in between, don't assume the water has been cleaning it for you.
Remember the water bottle.
Waterproof doesn't mean maintenance-proof.
14k & 18k Solid Gold
Solid gold is designed to last, and with proper care, beautiful 14k and 18k Solid Gold jewellery can be enjoyed for generations.
Unlike gold-plated jewellery, 14k and 18k Solid Gold are gold throughout rather than a layer of gold over another base metal.
But solid gold still collects all the same everyday things your other jewellery does.
For regularly worn pieces, gently clean approximately once a month using fresh water, mild soap and a soft cloth.
Pay particular attention to underneath stones, around settings and behind earrings where skincare and natural oils can collect.
Rinse thoroughly and dry completely.
We recommend avoiding unnecessary exposure to harsh household chemicals, bleach and chlorine. If your solid gold jewellery does come into contact with harsh chemicals or strong products, give it a thorough rinse with fresh water and dry it completely rather than allowing the residue to remain on the jewellery.
And remember, solid gold is precious, but it isn't indestructible. Gold is a relatively soft metal, so pieces can still scratch, bend or become damaged through rough handling.
What About CZ Stones?
If your jewellery has CZ stones, you might notice they occasionally start looking a little less sparkly.
Before assuming something is wrong with them, give them a clean!
Skincare, conditioner, makeup, soap and natural skin oils can leave a film over stones and collect underneath settings.
A gentle clean using fresh water, mild soap and a soft cloth can make an enormous difference.
Don't aggressively scrub your stones or settings. Clean gently, rinse thoroughly and dry completely.
If your jewellery contains pearls, natural gemstones, enamel, adhesives or other delicate materials, always follow the specific care instructions for that piece, as not every decorative material should be cleaned in exactly the same way.
When in doubt, gentle wins.
Your Flat Backs Probably Need More Attention Than You Think
We LOVE sleep-proof, everyday flat backs precisely because you can put them in and forget about them.
But maybe don't completely forget about them. 😂
If you've been wearing the same flat backs for weeks, take a look behind them.
Shampoo, conditioner, skincare, natural oils and other everyday buildup can collect behind the disc, underneath the decorative top and around your post.
For fully healed piercings, your monthly jewellery clean is the perfect opportunity to give those little hidden areas some attention.
Sleep-proof doesn't mean clean-proof.
Jewellery Care Isn't About Keeping Your Jewellery Away From Life
We don't want you to be scared of wearing your jewellery.
Your jewellery is there to be enjoyed.
All of our jewellery is waterproof, so wear it, shower in it, swim in it and enjoy it.
What we do recommend being mindful of are harsh chemicals, bleach, chlorine, fake tan, perfume, hairspray and strong beauty or household products.
If something gets onto your jewellery, don't panic. Just don't leave layers of product sitting there indefinitely.
Give it a rinse with fresh water, gently clean it when needed and dry it completely.
Don't Forget About Storage
Your jewellery also needs a nice little home when you're not wearing it.
Store pieces somewhere clean and dry, preferably in a jewellery box or pouch.
Try to keep delicate pieces separated so chains don't become tangled and stones or metals aren't constantly rubbing against each other.
And one rule we really recommend:
Never put your jewellery away wet.
After swimming, showering or cleaning your jewellery, dry it completely before storing it.
A jewellery box isn't just there to look pretty. ✨
The Biggest Jewellery-Care Mistake?
Never cleaning your jewellery.
If you're wearing something every single day, it's collecting little bits of your everyday life every single day too.
You don't need to obsessively clean it.
You don't need a complicated routine.
And you definitely don't need to keep your waterproof jewellery locked away because you're scared of getting it wet.
Just give your everyday pieces a little attention approximately once a month.
Fresh water. Mild soap. Soft cloth. Rinse. Dry completely.
Easy.
And if you only remember one thing from this entire guide?
Splash, shower, swim and wear, just remember monthly care. 💦✨
Good jewellery is made to be worn. Give it a little love along the way.
---------------
For those Blog lovers, use SPLASH15 for 15% off you next stack!
Jewellery & Piercing Care Disclaimer
This guide contains general jewellery-care information only. Appropriate cleaning methods can vary depending on the metal, gemstones, adhesives, settings and construction of an individual piece. Always follow the specific care instructions provided with your jewellery. Piercing aftercare is different from general jewellery maintenance. If a piercing is new, healing, painful, swollen, irritated or showing signs of infection, please seek advice from a qualified professional piercer or healthcare professional before removing or changing your jewellery.