Thanksgiving dinner has a way of bringing out all the best things: family recipes, favorite traditions, good food and maybe a little kitchen chaos. Between basting the turkey, stirring the gravy, rolling out pie dough and washing what seems like an endless pile of dishes, your hands are busy from morning until the last slice of pie is served.
But while you’re thinking about keeping the turkey from drying out, you may not be thinking about what all that cooking can do to your jewelry.
The kitchen can be a surprisingly tough environment for rings, bracelets, watches and other favorite pieces. Heat, food, cleaning products, grease and frequent handwashing can all take a toll. And the jewelry with the most sentimental value may be the very pieces you don’t want to risk damaging.
Here are some simple ways to keep your jewelry safe while you’re preparing Thanksgiving dinner.
Take Your Rings Off Before You Start
Rings can be particularly vulnerable in the kitchen. Food particles, grease and oils can become trapped beneath stones and around settings, while dough, flour and other ingredients can work their way into small spaces.
There’s also the risk of catching a ring on a cabinet handle, kitchen appliance or utensil—or accidentally knocking a stone against a hard surface.
Before you start cooking, consider removing rings. Put them somewhere safe rather than setting them beside the sink, where they can easily be knocked into the garbage disposal or washed down the drain.
Be Careful With Soap and Cleaning Products
Thanksgiving cooking usually means plenty of cleanup. Dish soap, disinfectants, bleach and other household cleaners can be harsh on some jewelry and may damage certain metals, finishes or gemstones.
The easiest solution is also the simplest: remove your jewelry before cleaning.
And don’t forget about hand sanitizer. Frequent use can expose jewelry to alcohol and other ingredients that may affect certain finishes or leave residue behind.
Keep Your Jewelry Away From Food
Butter, oils, sauces, spices and other ingredients can leave a film on jewelry. Some foods can also become lodged underneath gemstones or between links in a bracelet.
You don’t necessarily need to avoid wearing jewelry at the Thanksgiving table—but if you’re the person preparing the meal, it’s better to keep your favorite pieces out of the kitchen.
This is especially important for porous or delicate gemstones, which may be more sensitive to chemicals, oils or prolonged exposure to moisture.
Don’t Let Heat Become a Problem
The Thanksgiving kitchen can get hot. Between the oven, stovetop, roasting pan and dishwasher, there’s plenty of heat surrounding you.
While ordinary cooking temperatures aren’t necessarily going to damage every piece of jewelry, sudden temperature changes can be problematic for some gemstones. Heat can also affect certain treatments or settings.
If you’re working around hot pans or pulling dishes from the oven, it’s one more reason to leave delicate or valuable jewelry safely stored away.
Watch Those Bracelets
Bracelets can be especially inconvenient when you’re cooking. They can catch on drawer handles, dip into ingredients and collect food and grease.
Loose bracelets can also get in the way when you’re kneading dough, chopping vegetables or reaching into cabinets.
If you’re doing most of the cooking, Thanksgiving may be a good day to choose a simple pair of earrings or a necklace rather than stacking several bracelets.
Don’t Forget Your Watch
If you’re wearing a watch while cooking, be mindful of water, heat and food splatters. Even watches advertised as water-resistant aren’t necessarily designed to withstand every kitchen situation.
And if you’re constantly washing your hands, check the manufacturer’s recommendations for water exposure.
Give Your Jewelry a Holiday Inspection
Thanksgiving is also a good time to take a closer look at the jewelry you wear regularly.
Before putting on a favorite ring or necklace, check for:
- Loose stones
- Bent or damaged prongs
- Worn clasps
- Broken links
- Loose earring backs
- Scratches or other obvious damage
If something doesn’t look right, don’t wait until after the holidays to have it checked. A loose stone can become a lost stone very quickly.
Create a Safe Spot for Jewelry
If you normally wear your jewelry all day, make a habit of putting it in the same safe place when you cook.
A small jewelry dish, fabric-lined box or other designated container can keep your pieces safely out of the kitchen—and help prevent the classic “Where did I put my ring?” panic.
Just don’t choose the kitchen counter as your permanent jewelry-storage location. The counter is often where jewelry meets water, food, cleaning products and hurried hands.
This Thanksgiving, protect the jewelry, enjoy the cooking ,and save the sparkle for the celebration.
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