Acrylic is a versatile material – it comes in virtually endless colours and patterns, but there are a few rules to keeping your acrylic pieces looking their best. We sometimes forget that plastic jewellery is just as delicate as our favourite silver pieces, despite its hard appearance. It can be affected by variations in temperature, moisture and pressure. It can be scratched, and any metalwork can be bent or even detached through rough handling. This does not mean that your jewellery is badly made - nothing is impervious to damage, especially if it is made of multiple parts with joints (generally the weakest point). However, it does mean that you need to treat your acrylic jewellery with care. If you do, it will last a long time and perhaps even become an heirloom.

1)    If you only remember one thing, it should be this: water is bad news for acrylic jewellery.

Water, whether hot or cold, salty or fresh, affects acrylic jewellery in a negative way. You should never wear your acrylic pieces in the shower or bath as hot water can weaken the glue. You should also never wear it to go swimming in a pool or the sea. Why? Because salt water and chlorine can erode parts of the acrylic, particularly if it has a mirrored effect. And don’t think that water vapour is any better for your acrylic – condensation can also weaken glue or erode coatings, so don’t keep your jewellery in the bathroom!

2)    Remove all your jewellery before bed.

Don’t sleep in your acrylic jewellery (or any jewellery for that matter): it’s unsafe and you may damage your jewellery. Acrylic is a plastic and so any metal work on your jewellery must be either glued on or drilled through the acrylic. For example, stud earrings are likely to have a metal ear post glued onto the back of the acrylic, while the ear hooks on dangly earrings may be passed through a hole. Sleeping in jewellery exerts pressure on the jewellery, which can weaken the glue or joints, leading to breakages (and complaints of shoddy manufacturing, which is unfair on the maker!). Also, if you move around in your sleep, you may inadvertently detach a component and injure yourself, or your bedfellow. Basically, don’t sleep in your jewellery!

3)    Careful with those chemicals!

Perfumes and lotions contain chemicals which can erode or even melt acrylic, so keep those gorgeous party earrings away from your celebrity scents! Polishes designed for other materials, such as brass or silver, should also never be used on acrylic: they tend to be abrasive and will damage acrylic. I made the mistake of using brass polish to re-shine the metal on one of my acrylic necklaces: the ammonia in the liquid ate away the mirrored coating and left it spotty, like a vintage mirror (salt water has a similar effect, as I found after a long day at the beach sporting some mirrored earrings).

4)    Keep your acrylic out of the sun.

Heat and direct sunlight can warp your acrylic jewellery and cause the glue to melt. Remember, acrylic is a plastic, so you must treat it gently.

5)    So how do you clean your acrylic pieces?

To remove fingerprints, use the soft polishing cloth from your glasses case to gently buff your jewellery. If you have spilled something sticky on your jewellery, use a soft damp cloth to wipe it and then pat it dry with another. In extreme cases you can use a mild soap on a damp, not wet, cloth. Again, pat it dry. Do not use a chemical polish: it will cause damage.