You love your beautiful bling – learn how to take care of it with this handy guide to jewelry maintenance.

Believe it or not, caring for your necklace occasionally means taking it off, especially during the following activities:

• Sports: Holding a tennis racket tightly is particularly not good for a necklace with stones going all the way around -- especially if you're left-handed. As for taking your ring to the gym, lifting weights with it on can be hazardous. You wouldn't want a heavy dumbbell making contact with your stone.
• Gardening: It is possible to chip your stones or knock the settings loose while doing heavy yard work.
• Cleaning house: It's a good idea not to wear your necklace while doing the dishes: harsh chemical soaps or cleansers can soil the necklace.

• If you'll be taking your necklace off to do the activities above, make sure you have a safe -- and memorable -- place to put it.
• Keep It Free From Lotion, Sunscreen And Perfume. These products can gunk up your necklace- it's a good idea to take it off before you apply product.
• These products can gunk up your diamond or crystal and even etch colored gemstones. It's a good idea to take your ring off before you put these things on.
• Have Your Setting Checked Regularly.
• Most jewelers recommend you have your setting checked every six months to make sure nothing has become loose.
• DON'T SWIM IN THE OCEAN WHILE WEARING YOUR NECKLACE!Cold water may shrink your fingers just enough to loosen the necklace from your finger, and if you lose it in the deep blue sea, you won't be seeing it again.
• Be Careful In The Kitchen.Cookie dough, turkey loaf, a piecrust… it's great to mix with your fingers. But these foods can leave a film on your necklace and really affect its luster.
• Don't Wear Jewelry In Swimming Pools and Spas - Chlorinated water can react with the metals found in jewelry causing color changes and even structural damage. As a result it's a good idea to remove jewelry before entering the pool or spa.
• Remove Your Jewelry Before Bathing - Remove all jewelry before showering or cleaning. Soap can cause a film to form, making it appear dull and dingy. By preventing the formation of this film you immediately reduce the occasions of servicing.

Most jewelers will clean your necklace free of charge, so take advantage of this courtesy. If you don't have time to get to the jewelry store, there are a few ways to clean your necklace at home.

VidaWheel suggests using a gentle dish detergent to clean lotion buildup from the bottom of the mounting. Simply scrub the top and bottom with a soft toothbrush and rinse several times in hot water. For extra shine, soak your necklace in a small bowl of ammonia diluted with three times the amount of water, and gently brush the top and bottom of the mounting with a soft toothbrush. Dip the necklace into the solution again, then rinse in warm water several times to be sure to get all of the solution off. You may set the ring on a soft towel to dry, or gently pat it dry.

NOTE: IF YOU DO THIS OVER AN OPEN DRAIN, USE A STRAINER!