Sea glass obsessed? Ya, us too. So here’s are a couple of super helpful tips on the best ways to keep your Betty gems as sparking as the day you got ’em from our shop, or, found it yourself on the sand…

 #1  Don’t submerge your sea glass jewelry under water

Seems obvious, but this one is hard for you mermaids, surfers & beach-combing babes out there. Getting it wet under running faucet water–  when you’re washing hands or during a quick hop in the shower– isn’t usually an issue & can even shine your silver up a bit, as long as you totally towel dry.

But completely submerging your sea glass jewelry under water & immersing it in the sea, bathtub, or pool subjects it to all kinds of sad situations:

• It gets lost. Oceans, lakes & all bodies of water love to reclaim treasures taken from them– even through a drainpipe!
• Mold or mildew. When water seeps into a bezel setting (the rim that encloses & fastens a precious material into metal jewelry), it’s possible bacteria can grow within it because of trapped moisture inside. If water doesn’t fully drain & dry out, your glass can look discolored or dirty. In this case, we’re happy to help with a cleaning & restoration service for a small fee depending on the condition of your jewelry. Just get in touch, and we’ll do our very best to get your Betty back in better shape.
• Chalky Glass & Tarnish. Sea glass & silver jewelry exposed to salt, chlorine, chemicals & other unfriendly elements will cause it to tarnish. Not only will your sterling lose shine, it can leave sea glass looking dusty, dry, or leave an undesirable residue or “milky” film on it.

#2 Store your pieces with loving care

We get it, it’s so easy to throw your jewelry in a pile on the nightstand, in a dish by the sink at the end of the day– or even easier– never take it off. But if your Betty goodies get thrashed around, sea glass could chip, or get scratched. Best to keep it in a jewelry case, or special storage spot away from open air & steam. On that note, it’s never a good idea to store jewelry in the bathroom near a shower or tub.

Score our cute Betty Jewelry Box for a super easy solution, a cute addition to your Betty swag & travel ready!

#3 Clean & polish your Bettys 

To extend the beauty & life of your pretty lil’ Bettys, take just a bit of time for TLC. It’s super quick & easy:

• Use regular ol’ glass cleaner & a soft cloth to remove surface dirt or grime to brighten glass right up.
• For dull or gritty looking glass, use a very tiny amount of coconut oil on the surface with your fingertips & rub onto your glass (just a dab of oil with the tip of a cotton swab should do). Your sea glass will instantly glisten & glow again. Other natural oils with mild or no smell such as mineral, or safflower oil work great too. *Bonus, it’s great for your skin!
• When using a silver polishing cloth, be sure to only buff the surface of the silver. Special cleaning solution embedded into polishing cloths will leave dark smudges on sea glass.

Caring for Your Sea Glass Finds

• If you brought home sea glass straight from the beach, rinse it with fresh water to remove sand, salt water, grit, or grime & spread it out evenly on a clean towel to dry.
•  Avoid pouring sea glass from one vessel to another to prevent chips & breaks. Store it where it can’t shift or rattle around much. This also goes for sending glass in the mail. Using small, zip sealed plastic baggies & rolling it up tight in bubble wrap is always a safe way to ship it.
• Let us transform your sea glass finds into cherished jewelry with a custom order! We can make almost all of our designs for you with your own glass. CLICK HERE (or link above) to find out how.
• Find fun DIY ideas on our Betty Pinterest for how to enjoy & appreciate your glass, instead of letting it collect dust, or sit in a sad stash out of sight.

Happy Sea Glass Loving!

XO