How to Clean Mother of Pearl (Nacre)

Last Updated: June 8, 2022

Have some jewelry or art at home made with mother of pearl? This strong, iridescent surface is super easy to clean with a couple of common household items. We've outlined everything you need to know so you can get cleaning right away. In just a few minutes, your mother of pearl items will be looking spotless!

1

Dip a cleaning cloth into olive oil.

Make sure the cleaning cloth is nice and soft.

2

Rub the cloth over the mother of pearl item.

Be super gentle as you clean off the surface.

3

Polish the surface.

A silk cloth is a great option for polishing.

4

Make sure that the piece is dry.

Put it back in storage once it's completely dry. If it is on display, be sure that its base is dry.

Community Q&A

Question

What if I don't have silk?

vani samalla

Community Answer

You can use cotton instead of silk. This is easy enough to do provided you take care not to use anything that might damage the nacre.

Warnings

Chemicals can destroy nacre. Do not use any chemicals on it.

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Nacre is easily scratched, so be careful to ensure that the cleaning cloth is very soft.^{[2]
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