The Ultimate Pearl Care Guide

First and foremost – pearls are just like us

They love to be loved...

Wearing them keeps them shiny, lustrous and beautiful. Just like any lovely thing, proper care is necessary to keep them beautiful and healthy. 

Because pearls are so delicate and require gentle and thoughtful care, this is a great learning opportunity to help your little girl to think about how other people and things need extra gentle care – just like she does. It will also feel really great to be able to do such a special and important thing.

Teach your little girl to be gentle with her pearls and their care, and then apply that thoughtful care to all kinds of objects - and creatures - she feels responsible for. #teachresponsibility #growingup

So take a moment to jot down (or print out) these tips on how to keep and care for your pearls – and make it a special and sweet thing you can do together. And! because pearls don’t like harsh chemicals, this is a perfect “grown-up” job for her to learn along with you.

PRINTABLE CARE GUIDE COMING SOON

Learning how to care for your pearls will not only keep them with you for generations, but it will also teach your little one lots of wonderful lessons about responsibility, taking pride in her belongings – and a special kind of empathy for those who need some TLC.

So take some time today – or mark it in your family calendar – to learn together how to care for your Little Girl’s Pearls. Read through these instructions together and take a moment to talk and think about what gentle feels like and how important it is to be kind and gentle when it’s needed.

Make this an easy tradition or routine – or simply do it together one time, to instill a sense of responsibility and kindness…and a little bit of that special pearl-magic.

Why do your pearls need special care?

Pearls have long represented innocence and new beginnings – offering you a fresh start every time you wear your precious gems.

Because pearls are one of the softest gems in the world (with a Mohs hardness of a mere 2.5 or so), they are naturally prone to scratching. So protecting your pearls is of the utmost importance to keep your heirloom piece safe and sound.

With a little bit of attention and care, your pearls will stay lustrous and lovely for years to come.

1. Wearing Your Pearls

Pearls absolutely love to be worn. They soak up the oils from your skin and moisture from the air, keeping them lustrous and lovely.

When you wear your pearls, here are a few tips:

• The Last thing on and the First thing off will keep your pearls happy
• Be sure to put your pearls on after you’ve applied lotion, makeup, or hairspray.
• When you’re done for the day, remove your pearls first before anything else.
• Wipe your pearls with a soft cloth to remove anything they’ve picked up during the day, before storing them (a lovely pearl cloth is included with every Little Girls’ Pearls heirloom pearl piece).

2. Protecting your pearls

Pearls are friendly and sweet, but they don’t get along well with everything. There are some things we might not even think of as rough or nasty, but pearls are soft – remember? You need to protect them from the tougher stuff.

• Chemicals – like hairspray, perfume, lotion, soaps, chlorine, vinegar, ammonia or peroxide are definitely not friends with pearls
• It’s best to not wear your pearls in the shower while washing dishes, or swimming. Pearls love water, but they do not love the chemicals in the water we use at home or in the pool.
• Scrubby Things – never use anything abrasive (not even a toothbrush) on your pearls. They may scratch the surface and dull the lustrous shine.
• Pearls don’t love perspiration, so it’s best to leave your pearls home when you’ll be playing soccer or in the hot sun.

3. Cleaning Your Pearls

Even with the best intentions, sometimes pearls get dirty. It happens to the best of us! And all we need to do is give them a gentle bubble bath – just like you need sometimes – to bring their luster back and keep them shiny for next time.

• Add a small amount of very gentle dish-washing soap or mild shampoo to a quart of warm water – preferably filtered water without any chlorine.
• Immerse your pearls for a maximum of 15 seconds. Trust me; longer is not better. Think about how your toes get pruney after too long in the tub…pearls do not want to get pruney.
• After their micro bubble bath, gently and quickly rinse your pearls off with clean filtered room temperature water.
• Using a soft cotton cloth, gently remove any dirt from your pearls. Do NOT scrub them hard…you know what it feels like to get a rough face cloth to the nose. Your delicate pearls can’t handle it either.
• if your pearls are especially dirty, you may use a VERY soft clean makeup brush dipped in water to gently clean your pearls
• Lay your pearls on a soft cotton cloth, unclasped, to dry naturally. No scratchy towels or heat dryers, please.
• It is never recommended that you use cleaning chemicals, scrub brushes, ultrasonic cleaners or steam to clean your pearls. If you wouldn’t use it on a baby, you shouldn’t use it on a pearl.

4. Storing Your Pearls

Now that your pearls are all clean and tidy, it’s time to tuck them away for next time.

• Unlatch the clasp and store your pearls flat
• Don’t hang your pearls up to store them. Imagine how uncomfortable that would feel! The string will stretch out, and your pearls won’t fit right anymore.
• Place your pearls in their special pearl pouch (one is included with your pearls) or wrap them in a soft cotton cloth.
• Store your pearls separately from other pieces of jewelry – to keep them from getting scratched or scuffed.
• For an extra added layer of protection, you can place the pearl pouch inside of our special anti-tarnish bag to also keep your silver nice and shiny. This is especially lovely if you live in a moist climate or are visiting somewhere humid – like the beach.
• When traveling, take extra care with your pearls. Keep them tucked into their soft pouch. I like to give my pearls some extra padding when I’m travelling with them. Bundle them into something else that’s soft and gives an extra layer of protection (like a clean sock) to keep them as snug as a bug in a rug.

Now, you’re ready to give your pearls a warm and cozy home.

You’ve learned about wearing your pearls, storing them, washing them and protecting them from the bad guys. I know you’ll take great care of them, and have them forever. You might even wrap them around your bouquet when you grow up and get married – or wear them at your University graduation.