Household Solutions to Common Jewelry Problems

Do you have a box full of broken jewelry that you keep meaning to have fixed so you can actually wear it? Do your rings get stuck on your fingers when you hands swell? Here are some common jewelry problems and easy ways to fix them.

Bent Rings
If you have rings that used to be perfect circles, but are now more like bent ovals, there is a way to fix them without going to visit the jeweler. This method works best with white and yellow gold, but can also be used with sterling silver. Find a cylindrical item in your house about the same size around as the ring is supposed to be. Some examples would be highlighter markers, rolling pin handles, or the top of a nail polish bottle. Place the ring around the item. Using a wooden mallet or the handle side of a hammer, gently pound the ring around the cylinder to bring it back to its proper shape. For silver jewelry, be especially gentle.

Loose Earring Backs
If your earring backs no longer fit tightly on the posts, you could lose your jewelry. There is no worse feeling than being stuck with one lone earring. To prevent this, be sure to tighten your earring backs. You can do this yourself with a pair of tweezers. Grasp the earring back between your thumb and forefinger. Insert the two prongs of the tweezers into the two holes of the earring back, and squeeze. Keep doing this until the earring back has reached its desired tightness.

Stuck Rings
If you are like most people, you have rings that get stuck on your fingers when your hands swell. Changes in temperature can cause swelling of the fingers, so this is a common issue. If you want to remove your rings without damaging them, the secret is Windex. Windex is slimy enough to slip the rings right off of your finger, but won't damage or dirty the stones like soap. As a bonus, your rings will even be a little bit cleaner!

Rings can be hard to remove when fingers swell.

Credit: phaewilk

Copyright: phaewilk