How To Clean Nomination Bracelets [with everyday ingredients]

Caring for your Nomination charm bracelet will help keep it looking just as beautiful as the day you got it, and it’s far more straightforward than you might think. You don’t need anything too fancy or technical, just a few household items and ingredients. Here at Joshua James Jewellery, we pride ourselves on our extensive range of stunning Nomination jewellery and we want to help you take care of your purchases, so we’ve done the research so you don’t have to.

There are many answers on how to clean Nomination bracelets; whether they hold beautiful precious metals, stones and materials or they’re simple stainless steel, there are particular ways to clean your charm bracelet. Sterling silver and stainless steel have very different properties as metals, for example, and so they each require their own special cleaning processes to ensure their beauty is only ever enhanced and maintained, never diminished.

So, let’s get started!

How to clean a sterling silver Nomination bracelet

Sterling silver has a minimum fineness of 925, which is 92.5% pure silver. Any higher purity pieces such as 950 silver items will tarnish more easily and so will need more care. Whichever type of silver you have, regular care is essential to keep your silver Nomination jewellery clean, shiny and tarnish-free.

Here’s how to clean a Nomination bracelets and charms:

Polishing

Regular polishing of your silver Nomination jewellery will help keep it in top condition and is most effective on silver that isn’t already tarnished. Polishing prevents build-ups of any harmful substances that can discolour or weaken your silver, and it’s ideal for cleaning silver beads that may have intentionally tarnished areas of detailing that you don’t want to remove.

To polish your sterling silver bracelet and charm beads you will need:

• • Silver polishing cloth OR

• • Lint-free or microfibre cloth

• Non-plastic cotton buds (for fiddly areas)

Method:

1. 1. Hold your silver bead or bracelet using a cloth or towel in one hand

1. 1. Take your polishing cloth and use back-and-forth motions along the grain of the silver to buff away any impurities and marks. Do not rub in circles as this will magnify any small scratches on the silver

1. 1. Use your non-plastic cotton buds to get into any fiddly nooks and crannies

1. Do not use anything abrasive such as paper towels or tissues as these can scratch your silver

Cleaning [3 methods]

If your Nomination charm bracelet or charms have become tarnished and dirty, a simple cleaning procedure will help restore their bright shine in no time. Tarnishing occurs when sulphur or oxygen makes contact with the surface of the silver and causes a chemical reaction. Here’s how to clean Nomination bracelets and sterling silver charms using three easy methods:

Important Note: Do not use these methods on silver charms or bracelets with semi-precious stones, crystals or painted surfaces as it can cause damage or loosening.

Method #1 – With Soap & Water

This is the simplest and often the only necessary method for cleaning silver jewellery. Try this one first and see how you get on.

You will need:

• • Mild washing-up liquid (phosphate-free)

• • Warm water

• Non-abrasive dry cloth

How to clean:

1. 1. Fill a bowl with warm water and add a few drops of washing-up liquid. Give it a quick mix with your fingers.

1. 1. Place your silver Nomination bracelet and/or charms into the mixture and leave to soak for 15 minutes

1. 1. Rub the silver gently with your fingers to remove any clinging dirt and rinse under clean water to remove any soap mixture

1. Dry your silver thoroughly with your soft, dry cloth

Method #2 – Vinegar and Bicarb

Does your Nomination bracelet need a deeper clean to get rid of stubborn tarnish? Try this:

You will need:

• • Distilled white vinegar

• • Bicarbonate of soda

• Non-abrasive dry cloth

How to clean:

1. 1. Mix 100ml of vinegar with 2 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda in a bowl (the mixture will start fizzing, this is normal)

1. 1. Place your silver nomination bracelet and/or charms into the mixture and leave to soak for two to three hours.

1. Remove from the solution, rinse under clean water and dry thoroughly with a non-abrasive cloth.

Method #3 – Silver Cleaner

A specially formulated commercial silver jewellery cleaner is the ideal alternative if you don’t want to use homemade solutions. You can use products such as Connoisseurs Silver Dazzle Drops or the classic Connoisseurs Silver Jewellery Cleaner for the quick and easy restoration of dirty and tarnished silver jewellery. Nomination also makes its very own silver polishing cloths especially suited to caring for your precious bracelets and charms.

How to clean a stainless steel Nomination bracelet

Stainless steel Nomination bracelets are among some of the most popular and iconic in the entire collection. Nomination uses only the highest quality stainless steel of 304 or 316 grades, which is incredibly strong and will not tarnish. Despite their resistance to tarnishing, regular polishing and cleaning is still important for keeping your stainless steel Nomination bracelets and charms looking bright and shiny for years to come.

Here’s how to clean Nomination bracelets in stainless steel:

You will need:

• • Mild washing-up liquid (phosphate-free)

• • Warm water

• Soft-bristled toothbrush

How to clean:

1. 1. Fill a bowl or sink with warm water and add a few drops of your washing-up liquid, mix well with your fingers

1. 1. Dip your toothbrush in the soapy water and begin gently brushing your nomination bracelet with a back-and-forth motion.

1. 1. Do not soak your bracelet in the water as this can damage any enamel or stones in your bracelet or charms.

1. Dry thoroughly with a non-abrasive microfibre cloth to remove all moisture

How to clean a gold plated Nomination bracelet

The Nomination braclet collection features a number of stunning yellow gold and rose gold plated pieces, all of which can be looked after with a few simple cleaning techniques. Gold is a soft metal and is therefore fairly susceptible to damage, and this susceptibility only increases with gold plating. As there is only a thin layer of gold as opposed to solid, extra care should be taken to keep your jewellery from looking worn.

Here’s how to clean a Nomination bracelet and charms with gold plating:

Method #1 – Soap & Water

Just like with your silver jewellery, a gold or rose gold plated Nomination bracelet can be most easily cleaned with a simple mix of soap and water.

You will need:

• • Mild washing-up liquid

• • Warm water

• • Soft-bristled baby toothbrush

• Soft towel or cloth

How to clean:

1. 1. Fill a bowl with warm (not hot) water and add a few drops of washing-up liquid. Mix well.

1. 1. Dip your toothbrush in the solution and use it to ferret out any dirt in the nooks and crannies of your jewellery. Remember, gold is a soft metal and plating is more susceptible to wear, so keep this brushing as gentle as possible to avoid scratching and wearing away the gold plating on your Nomination bracelet or charms.

1. 1. Use your soft cloth to gently wipe away any remaining dirt and dust from the rest of your jewellery piece. Don’t rub, be gentle with it or you can wear the plating away.

1. 1. Rinse briefly in lukewarm water to remove any soap solution

1. Air dry or gently pat dry with a non-abrasive towel to remove all moisture before storing or wearing

If you’re cleaning a Nomination bracelet with gold plating and semi-precious stones such as pearls or crystals, you should carefully work around these while cleaning and avoid getting any cleaning solution on them. Simply wipe these stones and any enamel detailing with a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth to polish and clean them, or use a specialised precious jewellery cleaner.

Method #2 – Jewellery cloth

For more regular cleaning and general upkeep, you can simply wipe your gold plated Nomination bracelet and charms with a soft jewellery cloth. After every wear, simply hold your bracelet in a soft cloth or towel in one hand and use your jewellery cloth to gently wipe the bracelet and each charm to remove dust, dirt or build-ups of body products, creams and perfumes. Don’t be tempted to rub your bracelet or you may begin to wear away the gold plating.

A note on storing and looking after your jewellery

Cleaning your Nomination bracelets is one thing, but preventing dirt and tarnishing is something you can do at all times with a few simple storage and upkeep tricks.

Here’s how to keep your jewellery safe:

• • Store all your jewellery in a good quality jewellery box with small, padded compartments to prevent your various pieces from scraping, scratching and bumping into one another.

• • Storing your jewellery in pouches or sealed bags will also help prevent oxidising, which causes that unsightly tarnishing

• • Avoid wearing your jewellery while applying any chemicals to your skin such as perfumes, lotions, oils or sprays, as these can cause dulling and damage to the metals and stones.

• Avoid wearing your jewellery while bathing, showering or swimming as chlorine, seawater and corrosive soaps can cause damage.

Now you know how to clean Nomination bracelets and Nomination charms, you can enjoy their beauty for years to come. Explore our full Connoisseurs jewellery cleaners range to find products to suit a wide range of materials and metal types. Don’t forget, cleaning your jewellery is even more important right now to avoid the spreading of Covid-19. 

For more jewellery cleaning tips, make sure to check out our ultimate guide to jewellery care, covering how to clean silver, gold, diamonds and more!