Will hand sanitizer spoil my jewellery?

Corona, Corona, Corona…Its one word that seem to be on top of everyone’s mind. You cannot go five minutes these days without seeing, reading, speaking or hearing about it. With lockdowns and shutdowns carried out in most parts of the world and country, it is panic over pandemic. Whilst automated messages on hand washing and sanitizing every where you turn may be irritating to listen to, it is better to be safe than sorry.

As someone who has been coughing my my lungs out for a week, I understand the importance of the message. Typically, I wash my hands several times a day and use hand sanitizer in between but it has increased in the last two weeks. But like every other woman out there who wears jewellery in the hands, I too wonder will hand sanitizer spoil my jewellery? Will soap spoil my artsy creations?

Disclaimer – Before you read further remember that I am neither a germs expert nor a metals expert. I am only a designer who is discussing my point of view. Contact an expert on jewellery maintenance if you want proven solutions and data.

Will hand sanitizer spoil my jewellery?

Yes, and no! It depends on what your jewellery is made up of.  Any piece of jewellery that cannot and should not be washed will get spoiled. This includes paper, fabric, leather and mixed media pieces whether they are sealed or unsealed. Hand sanitizer and hand washing with soap should not affect gold and platinum. But depending on the contents of your water, sanitizer and soap, silver may oxidise faster. Brass and copper will react as well particularly those with colours, ink, patinas and gels on them.

Organic and porous materials like real pearls, turquoise, opals, and corals react to the alcohol in the santizer. Rhodium or white gold plating may lose its shine depending on the chlorine chemicals in the (non-alcoholic) sanitizer. Alcohol based sanitizers recommended by the health department should be okay in this regard. If your cleaner contains any moisturising elements, that may dull the jewellery as well. If you wear such pieces hand washing with liquid soap may be a better option.

Should I not wear any jewellery on my hand?

But that doesn’t mean you cannot wear jewellery in your hands. I have worn my mixed metals watch and brass and copper bangle through several episodes of cold and infection wherein I clean my hands every 10 minutes. However, I am careful not to pour liquid soap on alcohol rub directly on them. I wipe them with a wet wipe or clean separately. Avoid wearing charm bracelets if you can.

I do not wear any finger rings if I know I am going to be washing my hands constantly. While removing the rings and putting them back on is always an option, I personally, refrain. One, if your rings are dirty (or catch the bugs) it doesn’t matter how clean your hands are. Two, I am a bit forgetful, so I may end up leaving rings around sinks in my workplace with no guarantee that I’ll see them again.

If you do not want to remove your wedding/engagement rings keep them on. Wash your hands with a gentle liquid soap. Alternatively, you can wear your rings on a chain or pin them to your shirt as doctors do. I found loads of rhinestone pins online that might even glam up your look in the process.

What if my jewellery reacts to the hand sanitizer?

If you see it reacting, take it off and pat dry. Washing it (if its a metal, plastic or any washable material) in clean water with diluted washing liquid may help stop any reaction. Some pieces may require additional sealing or plating which a jeweller would be able to resolve.

Should I clean my jewellery too?

Yes! solid soap particles can get under your stone settings and stay there if you do not wash well. This debris may result in dulling your stones in the long run. Clean them under running water at home. Regularly worn precious jewellery will benefit from a through clean by a jeweller. As mentioned above, your rings or bracelet in contact with your used tissue paper or mask will collect germs as well. So it is important to clean them. I have a series of articles on cleaning and maintaining various types of jewellery on my blog. Do check them out if interested.

At the end of the day, covid-19 or not, health and hygiene are important. That means keeping yourself, the objects you come in contact with and your surroundings clean. This is what I tell myself as I go to work everyday.

If you have any tips to maintain your jewellery while keeping your hands clean, please do share them in the comments.