Hairspray and pearls....oh dear!

[mrs-b]

Good morning, all!

I've been meaning to ask this question for years. Literally - years. None of my pearls are showing to their best advantage because *all* of them have a sheen of hairspray on them. How do you get hairspray off pearls? I won't tell you what I've done in the past because that would get me hounded off these boards! Suffice to say, more than once I've had to throw out pearls I've paid quite a lot for because I've rubbed off the sheen by overly aggressive cleaning techniques. Consequently, I now only buy "nice - not great" pearls. But my large pair of pearl and diamond earrings have a pair of 14.3mm WSS pearls in them, for which I paid some thousands of dollars per pearl, and they just look flat because of the hairspray sheen. I've had them almost 12 years and I've <politecoughnevercleanedthempolitecough> - so any help would be hugely welcome!

Thank you for your help!

Signed,

Mrs Grungy Pearls.

 

[Pearlescence]

Have you simply washed them? Lather up your hands and rub the pearls (put plug in!) then rinse and dry on paper towel. The pearls won't mind getting wet but the silk might decide to rot.
Better to dump the hairspray or at very least apply it before putting on pearls.

 

[bright&shiny]

For future reference: Hairspray and perfume before and completely dry before applying any pearls. Big smile

Assuming you’ve tried washing and it wasn’t successful….there is an adhesive(glue) remover used in the trade that is safe for pearls. I wonder if it could be used lightly to take off the hairspray. It’s used when seating and adhering posts and findings. I don’t have the name in my brain, but I’m sure our pearl experts know it - and how it can and can’t be used. I wipe mine down with a damp clean cloth after each use. Let them dry overnight and store the next am.

 

[yssie]

lukewarm distilled water - or just boil some in a kettle and let it cool off til tepid, and soak 'em! Days, weeks, they'll be fine. Take 'em out when they start growing barnacles

 

[bright&shiny]

@yssie, I was trying to tag you in my first comment, but I was mobile and couldn't get your name to come up - Love the barnacles comment! Made me laugh so much I almost snorted my drink

 

[pearlsngems]

For future reference: Hairspray and perfume before and completely dry before applying any pearls. Big smile

Assuming you’ve tried washing and it wasn’t successful….there is an adhesive(glue) remover used in the trade that is safe for pearls. I wonder if it could be used lightly to take off the hairspray. It’s used when seating and adhering posts and findings. I don’t have the name in my brain, but I’m sure our pearl experts know it - and how it can and can’t be used. I wipe mine down with a damp clean cloth after each use. Let them dry overnight and store the next am.

I think you may be referring to the solvent called "Attack". It "dissolves cured epoxy and polyester resins" according to the label. I have used it to remove a pearl from its setting. Use in well ventilated area. Consider storing it in an outdoor shed. It is very volatile -- and unhealthy if inhaled-- and the cap does not seem to prevent evaporation very well. I once found my tin completely empty-- it had all evaporated into the air in my basement.

My suggestion is to try wiping the pearls with a soft cloth saturated with acetone. Real pearls are not damaged by being wiped with acetone (imitation pearls' coating will be dissolved, however.) I would not soak them-- just wipe and see if that works. Test on a less valuable pearl first. I don't use hair spray so I don't know if this will work, but I'd try this first. In a well-ventilated area, of course.

As I'm sure you realize by now, pearls should be the last thing put on-- after all cosmetics, perfumes and hair products.

 

[yssie]

If five people respond you'll get five different responses I think the real takehome is that pearls aren't as delicate as blogs and such might make them seem. They're not hardy but you won't meaningfully ruin their surfaces with regular wear or occasional abuse. If they're in really bad shape - decades old spray caked on - you can try dipping a baby toothbrush in hot water (softens the bristles) and scrubbing. Gently. The concern there is that the spray has actually damaged the surfaces, and the nacre underneath is brittle or dry, and might be discoloured and/or prone to flaking.

If there's damage then unfortunately it's not reversible. But for sure, leaving that spray caked on is only going to make any damage worse over time!! So better to clean them now than wait any longer.

 

[dk168]

I don't know why, however I always put on my jewellery last after doing my hair first, then make up and scent, then get dressed except for shoes, then jewellery, and shoes just before going out.

DK

 

[Bron357]

Shoes are the last thing I put on. Usually in the car. If heels I wait until we arrive before putting them on.
Except when I forget to bring them and we have to go back home to get them.

 

[caolsen]

Ditto a basic soap solution, ivory soap is good and/or a quick wipe with isopropyl alcohol but that’s a last ditch attempt for me followed by a clean water rinse. It’s the silk stringing that’s the delicate bit. Real pearls are hardier than folks give them credit for Just remember to let the pearls and the silk fully dry before storing in anything air tight.

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you all. I'm going to try soaking them. In the past, I've soaked pearls in warm water than rubbed off the hairspray, which tends to reconstitute and swell somewhat. But it leaves the pearls very dull. I don't know why. Consequently, I've hesitated to do my more valuable pearls in that way.

Re putting on my hairspray after my jewelry - yes, I do that. But my hair, having hairspray on it, rubs against the pearls and the pearls get coated over time.

 

[icy_jade]

Thank you all. I'm going to try soaking them. In the past, I've soaked pearls in warm water than rubbed off the hairspray, which tends to reconstitute and swell somewhat. But it leaves the pearls very dull. I don't know why. Consequently, I've hesitated to do my more valuable pearls in that way.

Re putting on my hairspray after my jewelry - yes, I do that. But my hair, having hairspray on it, rubs against the pearls and the pearls get coated over time.

Tap water has chlorine so pls don’t use tap water for soaking pearls. It kills the luster.

 

[CMN]

Tap water has chlorine so pls don’t use tap water for soaking pearls. It kills the luster.

I didn’t realise this. On that basis I assume you shouldn’t use tap water to moisten a soft cloth to lightly rub over them?

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I don't know why, however I always put on my jewellery last after doing my hair first, then make up and scent, then get dressed except for shoes, then jewellery, and shoes just before going out.

DK

Gold star DK

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Thank you all. I'm going to try soaking them. In the past, I've soaked pearls in warm water than rubbed off the hairspray, which tends to reconstitute and swell somewhat. But it leaves the pearls very dull. I don't know why. Consequently, I've hesitated to do my more valuable pearls in that way.

Re putting on my hairspray after my jewelry - yes, I do that. But my hair, having hairspray on it, rubs against the pearls and the pearls get coated over time.

I used to use gallons of the stuff Mrs B
hairspray
I have very soft fine fly away hair
but once i grew it long its a billion times eaiser to handle
I don't even own any hair spray or gel or anything anymore


Plus i wear a cap to work

 

[icy_jade]

I didn’t realise this. On that basis I assume you shouldn’t use tap water to moisten a soft cloth to lightly rub over them?

I think a quick wipe is ok (to wipe off the grime after a day of wear) and you wipe dry after. Just don’t soak. Heard of a case where a strand of south seas pearls were completely ruined after soaking in tap water for a day.

Alternatively u can get a bottle of distilled water (not mineral, just distilled) and put at your counter just for washing/wiping pearls.

 

[yssie]

I think a quick wipe is ok (to wipe off the grime after a day of wear) and you wipe dry after. Just don’t soak. Heard of a case where a strand of south seas pearls were completely ruined after soaking in tap water for a day.

Alternatively u can get a bottle of distilled water (not mineral, just distilled) and put at your counter just for washing/wiping pearls.

Yup, our water has chlorine too, that’s why I always always always boil it first. But I’ve spent enough time in India to boil water I care about before using as a matter of course Distilled is super pricey

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

You know the water out of a dehumidifier must be pretty close to pure
i give it to my pot plants bit now im thinking .....

We have horrible hard limey tap water here, if you looked inside our jug you would see chlorine is the least of our worries

 

[icy_jade]

Yup, our water has chlorine too, that’s why I always always always boil it first. But I’ve spent enough time in India to boil water I care about before using as a matter of course Distilled is super pricey

I can get distilled water for less than 50 cents for 1.5L in Singapore. How much is it in the US?

 

[Pearlescence]

Re putting on my hairspray after my jewelry - yes, I do that. But my hair, having hairspray on it, rubs against the pearls and the pearls get coated over time.

Are you sure it is hairspray on your pearls? Is it on every pearl or just a few at the back? I'm now wondering if what you are seeing on your pearls is simply skin gunk, normal dust and oils.
If you are sure it is the hairspray the notion occurs that you could try a wash with your shampoo - if it washes the spray off your hair maybe it will do the job with your pearls.
Just make sure any re-stringing is done with a synthetic thread because silk really does not like to get wet.

 

[pearlsngems]

If you use shampoo try to use baby shampoo.

 

[mrs-b]

I should have been more clear. All my pearls are earrings, so no thread involved.

I'm going to try soaking in tepid filtered water.

@icy_jade - I think what happened to my pearls is exactly what you said - soaking in tap water just stripped the luster - probably the minerals and additives, particularly chlorine. Happens more here in Boston, where the water has a marked chlorine taste, than when I lived in New York and there was no chlorine taste. The water here is also very limey.

Anyway, definitely going to try tepid filtered water. We'll see how I go!

Thank you for all your comments.