Pandora bracelets are some of the most elegant bracelets in the market. Wanting to wear them all the time – including in the shower – is a thought that’s hard to say no to.
But the fact is that Pandora bracelets are delicate and require a lot of care. So, can you shower with a Pandora bracelet? We’ve answered that question in detail in this post.
Quick Answer
Pandora bracelets are made from sterling silver, which is known to tarnish over time. However, showering with a pandora bracelet on will lead to it tarnishing much quicker due to the salts in the water. Furthermore, chemicals in the soap and shampoo can damage the silver, dulling its color and shine.
Pandora bracelets are delicate and require regular care. We’ve discussed the right and wrong times to wear the bracelet and outlined care instructions below.
Contents
Can You Shower with A Pandora Bracelet?
Pandora bracelets are made from sterling silver, an alloyed metal with 92.5% pure silver. Sterling silver is renowned for its affordability and malleability, but it also gets tarnished over time.
Here are three reasons why you should avoid showering with a Pandora bracelet:
Harsh chemicals in the water: The water in your shower may have chlorine, salts, and many harsh chemicals that can easily damage the silver on your Pandora bracelet. Hard water has a high mineral content and is common in all parts of the world, and this type of water is more likely to damage your Pandora bracelet.
Chemicals in soaps and other products: Most cleaning products, including shower gels and shampoos, are fragranced. The chemicals that perfume these products are often too harsh for a Pandora bracelet.
Risk of loss: If your bracelet has charms, there’s a chance that it could break off and get washed away in the shower. Accidental loss of jewelry is among the top reasons for home insurance claims for jewelry.
The Only Time You Could Consider Showering with a Pandora Bracelet
Considering all the aforementioned risks, it is not worth showering wearing a Pandora bracelet. Removing your Pandora bracelet and all other jewelry and storing it in a safe place outside the bathroom is what we recommend.
That said, if you know for a fact that you will shower with soft water and use a mild soap that isn’t heavily perfumed, you could get away with showering wearing a Pandora bracelet without damaging it much.
3 Situations Where You Should Never Wear Pandora Bracelets
Pandora jewelry is delicate, and the company states that it must be handled with great care. To avoid damaging your Pandora bracelet, avoid wearing it in the following situations:
Bathing: Contact with water and harsh chemicals in cleaning products can tarnish the sterling silver in the Pandora bracelet.
Sleeping: Sleeping with a Pandora bracelet can cause kinds and irreparable damage to the bracelet. Further, there is also the risk of losing an important part of the bracelet in bed. It’s important to avoid sleeping with new Pandora bracelets at all costs since new bracelets are stiff and can easily break. While the bracelet becomes more flexible with time, it doesn’t become more resistant to damage per se, so avoid wearing the bracelet in bed.
Playing sports: Pandora bracelets are not sports jewelry, and the delicate bracelet can easily break apart.
What to Do If Your Pandora Bracelet Gets Tarnished
A Pandora bracelet can get damaged if it comes with contact with water and agents such as perfume, skin cream, hairspray, salt, salty air, sulfur, and chlorine. A bracelet can also get tarnished from an acidic skin pH.
Since tarnishing of the bracelet happens due to factors outside of the manufacturer’s control, it is not considered a manufacturer defect. Reaching out to the company for replacement will not work.
Cleaning the bracelet and polishing it afterward is the best way to restore it and prevent further tarnishing.
You could use some toothpaste or jewelry cleaner products and remove the tarnish yourself. But these products are harsh and strip the bracelet of some of the original detailing done by oxidizing the silver.
If you don’t care for the detailing, you can use those products. But it is best if you visit your local jewelry store and get professional help.
How to Clean a Pandora Bracelet?
The company recommends that you regularly clean the bracelet with a polishing cloth. This slows down the natural tarnishing process and keeps the bracelet looking new for longer.
If you feel your bracelet has gotten dirty, Pandora recommends the following cleaning process:
- Mix some lukewarm water with mild soap
- Dip a soft brush in the solution and gently scrub the bracelet
- Wipe clean with a soft cloth or tissue
- Never fully submerge the bracelet in the solution
Can I Get My Pandora Bracelet Cleaned at the Pandora Store?
Most Pandora stores keep a “tumbler” handy. Tumblers are sonic cleaning machines that can clean and polish jewelry. If you have a Pandora bracelet, you can walk into any of the company’s stores and ask them to clean your bracelet. Pandora customers do not have to pay any fee and get this cleaning service complimentary as long as they have the jewelry.
4 Tips to Prevent Pandora Bracelet from Tarnishing
A big part of taking care of a Pandora bracelet is understanding what is harmful to it. Here are four tips to help you combat tarnish:
- Remove it when doing chores: Besides water, the bracelet may come in contact with household cleaners, rubber, and sweat. These can accelerate the tarnishing, so it’s best to remove the bracelet when doing chores.
- Avoid sunlight exposure: Going to the pool or the beach with your bracelet can lead to the sterling silver in the bracelet tarnishing.
- Wear it often: The natural oils of your skin are often enough to keep any silver shining. You should wear the bracelet as much as possible.
- Wear the bracelet last: Lotion, makeup, perfume, and other products can damage silver jewelry. Wearing the bracelet last will minimize exposure to these agents.
Dos and Don’ts of Storing Pandora Bracelets When Not In Use
As long as you follow these storage tips, your bracelet will look as good as new every time you decide to wear it:
- Store the bracelet in an airtight container.
- Alternatively, you can store them in an anti-tarnish Ziploc bag.
- If you don’t have an anti-tarnish Ziploc bag, put the bracelet in a regular Ziploc bag and store it away from sunlight.
- If you want to store the bracelet in the box it came in, put an anti-tarnish strip in the box.
To prevent tarnishing:
- Do not store the bracelet in a humid environment like a bathroom.
- Do not store the bracelet in polyvinyl bags since they have sulfur compounds.
Wrap Up
Showering wearing a Pandora bracelet will likely damage it, and while you could clean off the tarnish, the oxidized detailing on the bracelet will be gone for good.
Does your routine incorporate taking care of your lovely Pandora bracelet? Let us know in the comments.