How to clean amber if it is cloudy, and other stone care tips

Amber products look very beautiful, noble and elegant, emphasizing the impeccable taste of their owner, and this is not only about jewelry, but also about crafts from this amazing mineral. But in order for the product to always please the eye, it is necessary to clean exquisite amber well and safely.

Amber is an organic mineral, in fact - the frozen resin of the oldest coniferous trees. This is not a stone in the literal sense of the word, therefore, there is a specific nature of caring for products from it.

There are many variations of this magnificent mineral, which differ from each other in transparency and color. So, the stone can be sunny yellow, tan, reddish and even white. In jewelry, amber is most often used in a harmonious combination with gold, but it looks no less exquisite when paired with silver.

Most popular ways

Consider how you can clean amber products at home. There are several options, and the use of one or another of them depends on the degree of pollution.

• Pure water. The easiest way to return the product with amber, the visual appeal is very simple, but it is suitable for minor contamination of the stone. So you can quickly get rid of dust.
• Water with salt. The method is used to impart purity to an article that is not heavily soiled. In ¼ cup of water, add 1 tsp. salt is stirred. The product is immersed in the container and left overnight. After that, it should be removed, dried and polished with a woolen or velvet cloth.
• Mix paraffin and tooth powder, add water (all three elements are taken in equal amounts) and gently rub the mineral with this mixture. Note that you can not use toothpaste, and all movements must be careful so as not to scratch a brittle stone. After processing, the decoration must be rinsed under slightly warm water.

You can refresh the appearance of a sun stone like this:

1. wash it with lukewarm water without using chemicals and soap;
2. wipe dry with a flannel rag;
3. for 30 minutes place on the windowsill so that the sun's rays play on its golden surface.

Tip

You should strictly monitor the time: a longer exposure to heat will be destructive for amber and may cause turbidity.

If amber is cloudy

If the natural stone is slightly cloudy, you can try to return it to its original charm in such a simple way.

1. In 1 liter of warm water dissolve 1 tbsp. l grated soap.
2. Further, amber products are immersed in this container. Using a soft sponge, it is necessary to carefully wipe the inserts at the bracelets or rings, and if these are beads, treat each bead in the same way.
3. After this, the product is removed, each of its elements is wiped dry with a paper towel.
4. The finishing touch is to cover the surface with olive oil, after dropping it on a cotton pad. This simple technique will help mask small cracks and abrasions on the surface of the mineral.

If we are talking about beads, then removing the clouding can take a long time, but the rings, earrings and bracelets can be put in order quite quickly.

Tip

You can restore the beauty of an amber product if you wash it in running warm water and then lower it in ice cold for a minute.

In the most difficult cases, you can not rely on your own skill, but rather entrust the product to a professional who can restore his former beauty to him.

Polishing

Sometimes it’s not enough just to peel the amber, it is also necessary to carefully polish it to restore its beauty and natural luster to the untreated mineral.

First of all, you can use only soft tissue:

• fleece;
• flannel;
• velvet;
• microfiber without lint;
• felt.

The movements should be neat, soft, circular. In this way, the stone must be wiped until a beautiful shine is formed on its surface.

To make the effect even more impressive, you can entrust the unprocessed stone to GOI paste: apply a small amount of paste to a soft cloth, gently wipe the surface of the stone with it.

Important!

GOI paste cannot be used if there is at least a small crack in the amber, otherwise the whole mineral will turn green.

Bans

Consider what can not be used to give amber products their original splendor.

• Acids and alkalis, any harsh chemicals. Even soap is highly undesirable.
• Ultrasound. Under its influence, a brittle mineral can become covered with a network of cracks.
• Steam generator. High temperatures can make the sun shine forever.
• Alcohol and drugs based on it. After their application on the surface of the stone will remain ugly white traces, plaque.
• Abrasive products - they can scratch the surface.
• Toothpaste is the enemy of natural stone. It can penetrate microscopic cracks, which will entail a change in the refined color of the mineral.

In addition, amber products cannot be cleaned with hard brushes that can leave scratches on a brittle surface. Other means of cleaning jewelry are also prohibited. Note that rings and earrings with amber, as well as other products should not be exposed to warm effects.

Tips

To refresh the color of the stone, you can use this trick:

1. pour ¼ cup of water into a container and put a little ice in it;
2. place an amber product in an ice container;
3. leave overnight;
4. to get out, to dry;
5. polish the stone with felt.

This will help return to him a natural mysterious flicker.

At home, you can polish amber beads if the stone on them has slightly faded. To do this, use a piece of velvet cloth or flannel. In a circular motion, each pebble must be wiped until a shine appears, while being careful not to damage the product.

Tip

After finishing polishing, carefully treat each element of the amber insert with a cotton pad slightly moistened in olive oil.

Hard-to-reach areas can be cleaned with a cotton swab or a thin brush.

Care Rules

For a product with inserts of ancient resin to please the eye for many years, it is necessary to monitor its condition.

• It is worth periodically carefully polishing amber with flannel or velvet.
• Products should be stored so that they do not come into contact with other jewelry, especially with their sharp edges. The best way to preserve the jewelry is to place it in a small casket, upholstered from the inside with a soft cloth. Or you can wrap it with a piece of velvet.
• Do not expose amber to direct sunlight, store it near a heater or battery. Washing with hot water is also unacceptable.
• The color of a stone can be changed by accidentally dropping a drop of perfume on it, so care should be taken.
• Sharp changes in temperature are also dangerous for a sun stone, in which case cracks may appear on its surface.

To avoid cracking, try not to drop the product. These simple recommendations will help to extend the life and original appearance of the product or jewelry.

Sophisticated Products

Cleaning amber beads, bracelets or figurines is usually straightforward. But how to refresh larger products - for example, paintings from amber?

If necessary, remove dust from the product with a fairly careful walk with a brush with natural pile.But if it was not possible to get rid of the dust in this way, the brush should be wet, the procedure should be repeated. Large amber elements can be wiped with damp microfiber, and then polished using a velvet cloth or flannel.

Amber crumbs often accumulate dust in the smallest cracks, getting it with a brush is quite problematic, so you just need to carefully blow it onto the product. The dust will disappear and you just have to walk on the surface with a brush.

Cleaning products containing amber inserts should be carried out with extreme caution, alcohol and chemicals based on alcohol should not be used, as well as hard brushes and sponges. Only in this way amber products will please the eye and for many years will retain their sunny charm.