Polymer clay earrings aren’t delicate, but they’re not open for abuse either. Polymer clay rose to prominence as a medium for earrings during the pandemic, and those new to the community can be confused about how to best care for them.
Red Leaves Studio has put together a care instruction guide for all polymer clay earrings wearers so you keep your favorite pair of earrings safe and sound for years to come!
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Polymer Clay Earrings Care: How to Maintain Your Clay Jewelry!
Keep Them Dry
Prolonged exposure to water will deteriorate the materials and fade the earrings’ colors. Never wear polymer clay earrings in a pool or any other body of water. Don’t wear them in the shower, and don’t wear them in the bath.
If you’re running from your car to your house during a downpour, things should be okay. Just make it a priority to dry off your polymer clay earrings as soon as you get inside. Ideally, your polymer clay earrings never touch water, but sometimes things happen. Don’t expose your polymer clay earrings to water for a long period of time.
The one exception is polymer clay earrings with resin on them. If resin gets even a drop of water on it, it can dull the shine. That’s the opposite of what you want, so make sure your resin-coated polymer clay earrings remain completely dry.
Don’t Store in High or Low Temperatures
Don’t store your polymer clay earrings in extreme heat or cold. Polymer clay earrings kept in high heat can morph and bend, and earrings stored in too low of temperatures can crack and fracture. They should be kept in a cool, dry environment.
Hang ‘Em Up or Lay ‘Em Down
When you’re not wearing your polymer clay earrings, care for them by either hanging them up or laying them flat on a smooth surface. This prevents against scratching, bending, and breakage. Personally, I prefer to hang my earrings up, because it’s a space saver. I can have a lot more earrings taking up a lot less room on my dresser this way!
Don’t Toss Them in Your Bag
Throwing your polymer clay earrings loosely into your purse or other bag without care is a bad idea. That’s a great way to scratch and otherwise damage your earrings, plus one or both of them can get lost in your bag’s blackhole, not to be seen or heard from again for weeks.
If you have to take out your polymer clay earrings when you’re away from home, try to keep them somewhere safe and separate from other items. Perhaps a zipper pocket in your purse without anything else in there, or you could carry a small bag for storage just in case. But whatever you do, be mindful of mixing your polymer clay earrings with other things – those other things are notorious for butting heads with your beautiful clay jewelry!
How to Clean Your Polymer Clay Earrings
It’s not especially important to clean your polymer clay earrings, but if dirt is visible on them, you’ll naturally want to shine them up.
Use a glasses cleaning cloth or a microfiber cloth and rub in small circles on the polymer clay earrings to remove any fingerprints, grease, and general grime. If you get makeup on your earrings, put a small amount of makeup remover on a Q-tip and gently wipe the area until the makeup is removed. Then wipe with water and wipe dry.
Again, polymer clay earrings with resin on them should not touch water at all, if possible. To care and clean for those earrings in particular, stick with a glasses cleaning cloth or microfiber cloth. Do not use water, even a little bit.