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How to Sterilise Body Jewellery
Sterilising and Maintaining Piercings and Body Jewellery
There are many ways to clean and look after your piercings whether they are new or you have had them for years. Some of you will no doubt have your own methods but here are a few simple ways to maintain your holes.
Sterilising piercings is important and should be done from time to time, especially when the piercing is new and still healing.
There are many different ways of sterilising a piercing, this depends on the type of material the piercing in made from and where the piercing is located. In this guide we will explain how to properly sterilising and maintain piercings.
You should never use alcohol or harm chemicals such as peroxide on body jewellery or piercings! This can damage the piercing and irritate your skin.
Saline (Salt water) Solution
A common way of sterilising piercings and recommended by piercers is to use a saline solution to clean both the piercing jewellery and where the piercing is. This is especially important with new piercings and pierced areas to avoid infection.
For new piercings clean them up to twice a day.
Commonly found as a spray bottle, spray the saline onto them and allow them to soak for a few minutes.
Ensure that the item is covered in the solution and free of any crusty bits and secretion by cleaning it with a cotton bud then dry it thoroughly.
Cleaning the pierced area should be done in a similar way. Ensure the area is covered in saline, allowing the solution to enter the pierced area, then use a clean cotton but to clear the area. For tongue piercings the saline solution should be “swished” around the mouth making sure it enters the pierced area.
This process should be carried out twice a day for a few weeks until the piercing is completely healed.
Anti-bacterial soap and Water
This is probably the most common way to clean body jewellery and piercings. This method is suitable for most piercings and materials.
This is not advised for tongue piercings.
Materials this method is suitable for include:
- Stainless steel
- Titanium
- Niobium
- Gold
- Gold plated steel
- Silver
- Silicone
- Acrylic
- Dental Acrylic
- PTFE
- Pyrex Glass
- Quartz Glass
- Bioplastic
This can be done in a few simple steps:
- Soak the piercing in warm water and anti-bacterial soap.
- If there is anything stuck to the piercing use a soft toothbrush to remove it.
- Rinse and dry the piercing thoroughly.
Soap and water
Ear plugs and tunnels which are made from organic materials should be cleaned using a milder, less harsh soap. When cleaning plugs and tunnels do not allow the plug or tunnel to remain submerged in water!
This is suitable for materials such as:
- Wood
- Semi-precious Stones
- Bone
To clean a plug or tunnel:
- Wash with soap and warm water.
- Dry immediately!
Boiling water
This is another common method of sterilising a piercing.
This is suitable for many piercings including:
- Stainless steel
- Titanium
- Niobium
- PTFE
- Pyrex Glass
- Quartz Glass
- Bioplastic
This is carried out by:
- Completely submerging the piercing in boiling water for around 30-60 minutes.
- Drying the piercing thoroughly
Have your say, if you want to add something, a useful tip you use perhaps? Feel free to ask us a question!
