Wooden Jewellery Care Guide

Recent style trends have been favouring jewellery and accessories made from natural materials, like wood. The versatility of wood makes it an ideal material for bracelets, necklaces, and earrings and you can find beautiful examples in almost any trendy clothing or accessory store.

Wood is not only used for simple, casual pieces – it has also been used (to great effect) for statement and haute couture pieces. In addition to its versatility, wood is also valued because it is a sustainable, renewable, natural material.

However, like every other material used in jewellery making, wood requires special care, and it’s important to be aware of this in order to keep your wooden jewellery pieces looking as wonderful as they did when they were new. 

Store Wooden Jewellery Properly

Most metals used in jewellery making will lose their sheen over time when exposed to the open air, and this includes fasteners, links, and chains used in wooden jewellery. To avoid this, some people keep their jewellery in an airtight container.

However, wooden jewellery will also gain a patina over time when kept outside of airtight containers, which is a look some people might desire. Ultimately how you choose to store wooden jewellery pieces depends on the look you would like them to have. 

Some wooden pieces, such as the Grace Within Triple Leaf Earrings by Dressed for Sunday, feature hand painted designs, which means they don’t require an airtight container. 

Another thing to consider when it comes to storing wooden jewellery is that wood can be quite soft and can therefore accumulate scratches easily. Storing wooden pieces in the same place as earrings, bracelets, or rings with hard edges or gems could lead to scratching.

Wooden jewellery that isn’t painted, like the Deco Darling Fan Studs, clearly display the gorgeous wooden grain and would show scratch marks more clearly, so it’s recommended that you get a separate container or jewellery box to keep them so that they don’t get damaged. 

Be Careful With Your Use of Cosmetics

Some cosmetics could ruin the surface of wooden jewellery, so it’s always a good idea to avoid putting on your pieces before you’ve applied your creams, lotions, perfumes, and hairspray.

You should also avoid wearing wooden pieces when applying sunscreen, insect repellent, and soap as the chemicals contained within could cause damage or cause loss to the color of the wood. 

Avoid Humidity or Water with Wooden Jewellery

Excess humidity and water can be very damaging to all kinds of jewellery, with wood included. Storing your pieces in a dry place is a must, but you should also take care not to submerge your wooden jewellery as it can cause a lot of damage. 

Regularly Clean Your Pieces

Like jewellery made from any other kind of material, wooden jewellery should be cleaned regularly. This isn’t hard to do and typically does not call for any special kind of cleaning agent – all you need is a microfibre (non-abrasive) or a cotton cloth. Wipe the pieces clean gently, following the wood grain if it is visible.  

To remove dust or grease on the wooden parts, just use a non-abrasive microfibre cloth or a cotton cloth. Also, better clean by following the line of the veins, if they are visible. Some wooden pieces can also be polished, but check with the manufacturer/artisan beforehand to see if it is safe to do so. 

Take Good Care of Your Wooden Jewellery Accessories

Wooden jewellery is trendy, sustainable, and easy to match with almost any kind of outfit. Whether you’re going for a casual, vibrant look with something like Dressed for Sunday’s Mexi Folk Crescent Necklace or a more sophisticated look with Maple Fan Earrings, your wooden jewellery will always look its best if you take good care of it!