Here at Kings Body Jewelry, we understand that living with body mods can sometimes be a labor of love.
From gauges to plugs, for all of the benefits in self-expression and style that they come with, there is another side to wearing these that all wearers must come to terms with: Cleaning your jewelry.
There is a wide variety of risks associated with failure to clean body jewelry, or cleaning it inconsistently or ineffectively.
Many times, poor hygiene with regards to your body jewelry can result in minor bacterial infections, which in turn can develop into worse infections that can result in abscesses or necrosis.
As you can probably guess by now, the advice about cleaning your jewelry that you have heard from both professionals and nonprofessionals is more than a mere safety precaution—cleaning your body jewelry can be the difference between sickness and health.
So, read on for our guide on how to effectively clean your body jewelry.
Items You Will Need
Our guide for cleaning jewelry is meant for simple, easy home cleanings, so, though there are certainly benefits in using an ultrasonic cleaner, we are going to stick to items that you may not even need to leave the house to find.
The necessary items are: Antibacterial soap, a fresh towel or roll of paper towels, a few cups or bowls, and a water source.
And that’s it! As you will see, it does not take much to get a thorough cleaning, only a little bit of time and effort.
Start By Washing Your Hands
Some would say this is the most important step, but, really, all the steps in cleaning your body jewelry is the most important step. But still, this is a mighty important step, so be sure to make your hand-washing a thorough one, using plenty of soap and going for longer than is perhaps usual for you.
Use a paper towel or a fresh towel to dry your hands, as pre-used towels often have plenty of germs left over from whatever or whoever it scrubbed last.
Remove the Jewelry
Once your washed hands are nice and dry, take out the jewelry that needs a cleaning. Place it on something that is unlikely to be infected with germs, like a fresh paper towel or napkin—many surfaces, even well-scrubbed bathroom or kitchen sinks, can still host plenty of germs, which you do not want to expose your piece of jewelry to.
Submerge Jewelry in Soap and Water, Then Scrub
Fill a bowl with lukewarm water, mix some soap into it, and then soak the piece in there for around three minutes. Meanwhile, fill a bowl with clean hot water.
After the three minutes are over, take out the soap-submerged item and place it in the bowl of clean hot water, rinsing the item until you do not see any dirt or other other marks of uncleanliness on your jewelry.
Once that is done, place it on the towel or paper towel and dry it.
Reinsert the Cleaned Piece of Jewelry
It is all in the title for this one. If your piece has been thoroughly cleaned, and enough time has passed so that it is cool and completely dry, then go ahead and put it back in, congratulating yourself for preventing any infections or other issues that come with unclean body jewelry.
Body Jewelry and After Care Products
Looking for a new piece for your body mod journey? Need some aftercare products or tools to further enhance that journey? Then check out our selection of products today! For other questions, feel free to contact us or check out our FAQ page.