If you’re a jewelry DIYer then you probably must have heard about polymer clay accessories. They are easy and cheap to make. One thing that I love about making jewelry out of polymer clay is that you can make your imagination run wild while making these. Polymer clay is great for making all kinds of jewelry.
But while it may be fun to make them, they can also easily get scuffed. Therefore they need to be handled with care. So today’s article is all about how you are going to care for your polymer clay jewelry,
How To Care For Polymer Clay Jewelry?
Here are some simple do’s and don’ts to take care of your polymer clay jewelry,
| Do’s | Don’ts |
| Do put on as the last step in your beauty routine. | Don’t store loose in handbags. |
| Clean with a damp cloth or Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol. | Don’t store in extra hot places. |
| Store with raw brass pieces with anti-tarnishing strips to slow oxidation. | Do not keep it in a wet place for too long. |
These are just some of the things which you need to look out for so that your polymer care jewelry does not wear out early. Some other things that you can do are:
- Be careful not to drop them or place them in your purses or pockets. The clay can be broken or scratched.
- Keep the clay pieces away from high humidity so that the metal does not tarnish.
- Do not wear them while swimming, sleeping, or showering.
- Keep them away from children.
- Keep them away from sharp objects.
- Keep them in a separate compartment from other boxes.
- Keep away from moisturizers. They can discolorize the jewelry.
How To Clean Polymer Clay Jewelry?
If your polymer clay jewelry has already gotten dirty, you may have to do some little exercise and take some measures to clean them.
If it’s just direct or hair then they both are easier to clean but if lint or dust is attached to your polymer clay jewelry then here’s how you will clean it,
Use A Knife Or Tweezers
If the dust pieces are large enough then you can try to simply grab the dust or pieces of hair with a knife or tweezers.
Note: Try to be careful while using those. The knife and tweezers are just about sharp enough that they can leave a mark on the jewelry.
If you just made your jewelry then you might just get away with it without damaging, avoiding embedding the pieces of lint or hair even further into the clay. And if it does get irregularly shaped then you can still smooth it out without that much trouble.
Use Acetone Or Alcohol
As mentioned above another thing that you can do is to sip Q-tips into acetone and rub alcohol. A friend of mine recommended Vaxxan’s 99% Isopropyl Alcohol to clean polymer clay jewelry.
If cleaning is urgent and you haven’t got some rubbing alcohol on you then you can also use nail polish remover, making sure the remover is not colored.
Dip the Q-tip in rubbing alcohol and swipe across the clay surface. It will pull all the debris off.
If you’ve just made some polymer clay jewelry and got your fingerprints on them then you can use this method to smooth out the fingerprints as well.
Use Tape
Take out a piece of tape and lightly put it on the area where there is dirt and debris collected. Lightly press it on the area and peel it off. This short takes the dirt off.
But if the hair was partially inside the clay then it is impossible to get the whole hair out. You will only be able to get out the hair that is sticking out of the clay.
What To Do If Hair Or Dirt Is Stuck In Polymer Clay Jewelry?
You can’t take the dirt or hair present inside the polymer clay jewelry but you can disguise it. You can cover the jewelry’s surface with inks, paints, chalks, acrylic paints, mica powders, or even metal trinkets.
If you are worried that the adhesion won’t stick then you can sand the surface. This improves the adhesion. You’ll have to do this carefully as you may just end up revealing more specks by using this method.
Dust Or Hair Stuck In The Sealer?
Dealer may be wax, acrylic sealer, varnish, or liquid epoxy which is used as a finishing step on the polymer clay jewelry to give them a smooth finish.
To prevent the dust specks or debris from getting inside the sealer, make sure the brush you use to put the sealer on is free from any hairs, old sealer, or dust. Shake the brush and try to lightly fan out the brush bristles before use.
Any left-out materials in the sealer brush and come on to your current polymer clay jewelry project.
Debris Getting Stuck Every Time?
If debris is getting stuck every time you DIY polymer clay accessories then you might want to consider hiding them instead of trying to remove them. You can use dark-colored clays instead of light ones.
Final Verdict
Polymer clay is a non-toxic PVC. Even though it is strong and durable but it still needs to be taken care of correctly because it can easily be broken or compromised.
The best way you can take care of your polymer clay accessories is by keeping them in a separate compartment from your other accessories and don’t keep wearing them while swimming or while showering. And if there is hair stuck in it then you can take it out with the help of some tweezers. Other ways are already mentioned in the article.
Beatrix Ainsley (Bea to her friends) is an abstract artist who was heavily inspired in her twenties by the abstract expressionist movement of the 1940s. Since then Bea has acquired three degrees in Science, Education and most importantly Fine Art. Her art works showcase exploring emotion and introspection of self. To achieve this – the use of bold, sweeping, intricate layers of color, and spontaneity of form is enhanced by reflecting on decades of life experiences. Bea has amassed a vast knowledge of art in all its forms, and hopes to pass it on with her contributions here.
