With so much information available on the internet, it’s sometimes hard to distinguish what’s true, what’s false, what’s right, and what’s wrong, and trying to figure out the proper way to clean your jewelry is no exception. There is a plethora of websites that will tell you what to do and what not to do, but in reality, the rules are pretty simple and don’t require a whole lot more than some good, old-fashioned common sense. However, there are some things that you should really never do when it comes to cleaning and storing your prized possessions. We rounded up all the practices you should avoid in order to keep your jewelry in top shape.

Ditch the Abrasives
Harsh cleaning agents that come in powder or paste form might be great for materials like porcelain, but when it comes to precious metals, they’re not the best option. Substances like a standard toothpaste or even Comet cleanser can dry and cake inside of the undercarriages or prongs of your jewelry, specifically if the pieces contain diamonds or other gemstones. That not only looks bad, but it also dulls what should be a bright and shiny look.

Soaking most jewelry in warm water for a few hours with a mild, grease-cutting soap or glass cleaner and then using a soft-bristle toothbrush to clean the piece is a smart way to go.

Avoid the Dish
Many people will take off their jewelry at night and place their rings, earrings, necklaces, etc. on what some refer to as a “ring dish.” And while, in theory, this seems like it would be a good idea, the reality is that you could be scratching up your jewelry by doing so.

Keeping your jewelry separated – even at night as you sleep – is the best thing for its longevity. Whether the metal is high-polished or satin-finished, chances are, it could scratch from constantly being placed on top of other metals or gemstones, so use separate dishes for your items or even portable jewelry boxes by your bedside if possible. (Or you can check out our roundup of our favorite jewelry organizers to elevate your jewelry storage! Read the post here.)

Don’t Procrastinate
Paying a visit to your local jewelry store to have your jewelry professionally cleaned, checked, and even polished is pretty essential for both the life of your jewels as well as your insurance policy, so whatever you do, don’t put it off for too long. Items you wear every day, like an engagement ring or diamond earrings, need a good soaking in an ultrasonic machine and a solid steam cleaning in order to get them looking new again, so don’t avoid the trip, no matter how painful you feel it may be.

Never Store Chains Together
Unless you have a great pair of pliers handy and a good hour to spare trying to separate them, you should never store two or more chains together in one bag. This is an absolute no-no for any jewelry lover and most have learned this lesson the hard way. (If you’ve already made that mistake, we have a guide to untangling your necklaces and chains for you here!)

Most jewelry cases – either standard or travel size – have loops that you can separate your chains with. If you need to travel and don’t own a case, you can always wrap the chain, stretched out, in tissue paper, then store each one in their own small-sized sandwich baggie to keep them from tangling. Just make sure you keep all baggies together so that you don’t lose the chains you’re bringing with you on your journey. For more tips on how to pack jewelry for travel, visit our post about it here.

There are few things more maddening than untangling a knot in your necklace chain. We’ve all been there: exasperated, brows furrowed, eyes nearly crossing and clumsily tearing at a knot.

Before you give up in frustration, take a breath. Now follow these easy steps to detangle a necklace chain.

Work on a flat surface.
It is a normal, knee-jerk reaction to stand while detangling a necklace, bringing the offending knot closer to your eyes to see better. However, this can do you a huge disservice; holding the chain up means it can easily slip through your fingers, pulled back into the knot thanks to gravity.

Save yourself some stress and lay your tangled necklace onto a flat surface so you can spread out the chain as you untangle the knots.

Insert a straight pin into the center of the knot and gradually pull it apart.
Start teasing apart the knot by inserting a straight pin (or an opened safety pin) into the knot’s center. Then, working bit-by-bit gradually open the knot up, pulling the chain outward so you can see how the chain is tangled and work backwards to undo the knot.

Do not try to undo the knot with one long pull of the straight pin. You run the risk of breaking a thin chain, scratching the metal against itself or even pulling the knot even tighter if you yank too hard on the necklace. Instead, muster all your patience and methodically tease open the knot, focusing on small lengths at a time.

Use baby oil to loosen stubborn knots—and immediately wash your necklace afterwards.
For particularly difficult or tight knots, dab the knot with a cotton swab dipped in baby oil to loosen the knot. Then use your straight pin to pull the chain apart.

However, as soon as your necklace is fully untangled, you need to wash it immediately. Baby oil can corrode the metal of your necklace chain so you want to remove the oil as soon as possible with a gentle wash. If you do not have jewelry cleaner handy, check out our DIY gold jewelry wash here.

If a chain is vintage or particularly delicate, bring it to a professional.
Take your tangled necklace to a jeweler if the chain is vintage or incredibly thin and delicate. It is very easy to break a well-worn chain at home, so leave it to the pros to untangle your necklace.

To keep your chains and necklaces from tangling in the future, read our tips on how to safely store and organize your jewelry here.

Bit by the spring cleaning bug? Rotating your collection? For whatever reason you may want to put your jewels and baubles into longer-term storage, here’s how to (and, just as importantly, not to) store your precious jewelry.

1. Find the right environment for storing your jewelry.
If you want to store jewelry long-term, the attic or basement may not be the best option. Damp and humid environments leave jewelry more susceptible to tarnishing and discoloration. Meanwhile extreme temperatures, particularly heat, can cause discoloration, internal damage to gemstones and pearls to become dry and crack. The ideal environment should be at a stable room temperature with low humidity.

2. Select a jewelry box with a fabric lining.
Opt for a box with a cloth lining and individual compartments for your jewelry. The velvety lining will keep pieces—especially gemstones and items made of soft metals like gold—from scratching or chipping along the sides of the box.

3. Store like-materials together.
Every metal has a different hardness so your platinum ring can easily scratch your gold bracelet if they’re stored side-by-side. Therefore store like-metals together and delicate gemstones separate to keep them from nicking one another.

4. Use anti-tarnish strips.
Even when properly stored, silver jewelry tarnishes fairly quickly. So slip a few anti-tarnish strips into your jewelry box to absorb the air pollutants that causes that dull film to set in on your silver pieces.

5. Invest in a safe or safety deposit box.
If you have very valuable or sentimental pieces that you do not wear often, consider storing them in an at-home safe or at a bank safety deposit box. Bare minimum, you should have your most precious jewelry items insured. You can purchase insurance through homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. But for high ticket items an insurance agency that specializes in jewelry may give you the best coverage. Regardless of the agent you choose, to get insured you will need your original receipt and a valuation of the item by a certified appraiser. Keep any receipts, original boxes and insurance paperwork separate from where you store your jewelry. In the unfortunate event that your items are stolen, these documents will help minimize your financial loss.

To learn more about caring for your fine jewelry, we detailed how to clean your most-loved and oft-worn pieces here.