Did you accidentally wear your stainless steel jewelry in water? Are you worried that it will rust or get damaged? Anyone would be worried if they do not have much knowledge about the metal. Are you also one of those people? Well, you do not need to worry anymore. Continue reading and you will find out everything about stainless steel in the water below.
Can You Wear Stainless Steel in Water?
People all around the world use stainless steel for the manufacturing of a lot of items. Since it resists denting, scratching, and nicking, it is a preferred metal for a lot of people. But, is stainless steel water-resistant as well? What will happen if you wear stainless steel in the shower? Will the water damage it or not?
Many factors decide whether stainless steel should be worn in the shower or not. It actually depends upon the type of stainless steel that you are wearing. High-quality stainless steel will never get damaged by the shower water. You can wear it safely in the shower as it will neither corrode nor rust in the shower.
Is Stainless Steel Water Resistant?
So, are you also wondering what is it about stainless steel jewelry that makes it water-resistant?
While regular steel has a high amount of carbon used in its manufacturing, this is not the case with stainless steel. Carbon is used in regular steel to harden it and to add strength to it as well. But, the high content of carbon in regular steel also makes it prone to rusting as well. This is not the case with stainless steel.
There is an extremely insignificant volume of carbon found in stainless steel. This is what makes it water-resistant. While the regular steel may get damaged in the water, you can wear jewelry made from stainless steel in most types of water without worrying. This is what makes stainless steel a popular metal in the manufacturing of jewelry items.
Although in most of the cases stainless steel is water-resistant, there are some cases where the stainless steel may be prone to damage as well. When the jewelry items made from stainless steel are exposed to conditions where the oxygen level is low, air circulation is poor, or the salinity level is high, your jewelry items may rust.
In short, different types of water have can have a different impact on your stainless steel jewelry. Let’s take a look at how different types of water can affect your stainless steel jewelry below.
Can You Shower with Stainless Steel?
As opposed to regular steel, the shower water does not damage stainless steel. You can wear stainless steel in the shower or bathtub as much as you like without the fear of it getting damaged. This is the reason that it is one of the most popular metals used in the making of jewelry. So, if you own jewelry made from stainless steel, you do not need to take it off while taking a shower.
Swimming Pool
Are you wondering if you can wear your stainless-steel jewelry in pool water as well? We understand that you want to look stylish and attractive while swimming in the pool. The increasing popularity of the metal has made it a popular material for the making of both men’s and women’s jewelry. You can see them flaunting their jewelry everywhere even at pools to look attractive. But, is it a really good idea to do so?
As you all know that the pool water consists of a high amount of chlorine in it. While stainless steel is no doubt a durable metal, continued exposure to chlorine may damage the jewelry items made from stainless steel if you wear it for a longer period in the pool. Therefore, it is advisable not to wear it much in the pool.
Is Chlorine Corrosive to Stainless Steel?
So, are you wondering what is it about the pool water that can cause damage to the jewelry items made from stainless steel? Well, the answer is quite obvious. Pool water contains a high amount of chlorine in it which can be corrosive to stainless steel.
Even though stainless steel is an extremely durable metal, continuous exposure to chlorine may cause damage to it. Therefore, you should not submerge it in the pool water for an extended period especially if it is chlorinated water.
So, what is it about chlorine that affects stainless steel? Chlorine breaks down the passive film that is found on the surface of the stainless steel. This film protects the stainless steel from corrosion. When chlorine breaks it down, it becomes vulnerable to corrosion as well.
Therefore, stainless steel should never be cleaned with products that contain chlorine in it. Otherwise, there is a high chance of your jewelry items made from stainless steel corroding.
Can You Wear Stainless Steel in the Ocean?
While stainless steel does not rust or corrode mostly in the water, it is not necessary that it will not corrode in the ocean water as well. There is a high chance of metal corroding if it is continuously exposed to seawater over time. But, it completely depends upon the formation and alloy composition of the stainless steel. Some types of stainless steel are more corrosion resistant than other types. They will take longer to rust when exposed to beach water.
If your stainless steel jewelry is high in chromium, it is safe to wear it in saltwater. Otherwise, you need to be careful about wearing your other jewelry to the ocean. But, there is no denying the fact that stainless steel is indeed a better option than other metals for jewelry making such as carbon steel or aluminum.
Does Stainless Steel Jewelry Rust in Shower?
Jewelry items made from stainless steel can usually be worn in a shower or bathtub most of the time. Are you wondering why? It is because unlike regular steel, stainless steel has a low content of carbon in it. As a result, it does not usually corrode or rust in the shower or bathtub. But, this does not mean that stainless steel is totally rustproof.
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The amount of carbon in the stainless steel alone cannot be the deciding factor. There are many other factors to consider as well. The type and quality of stainless steel is also a huge factor that plays an important role. Additionally, the quality of soap and the type of water are also important.
If the soap you use has a high amount of acid present in it, it is likely to rust your jewelry made from stainless steel. Therefore, the soap that you use should be in the range of 6.5 to 8.5 pH. Otherwise, there is a high chance of your jewelry getting damaged.
Apart from this, when your stainless steel jewelry is exposed to conditions where the oxygen level is low, high level of salinity, or poor circulation of air, there is a high chance of the jewelry items rusting. Therefore, you must keep all these factors in mind.
Did you know that you can use dish soap in cleaning grime off your stainless steel jewelry as well? Yes, that’s right. You can use dish soap to clean the grime off your jewelry and it would not even damage it.
What Other Metals Can Be Worn in the Shower?
If you think that you can only wear stainless steel jewelry in the shower, think again. There are many other metal items that you can wear in the shower as well. Want to more about those metals? Keep reading then.
- Solid Gold Jewelry
Wearing solid gold jewelry in the metal will not harm the metal at all. No matter whether you wear yellow, white, or rose gold, you can wear them all in the shower. However, you must keep in mind that if you use solid gold jewelry constantly in the water, the metal will use its shine over time.
- Platinum Jewelry
Jewelry items made from platinum metal are extremely shiny and durable. What’s better about platinum is that you can even wear it in the shower and it will not cause any harm to the metal. But, there is a high chance that the metal will lose its shine over time. So, it is advisable not to wear jewelry items made from platinum to the shower.
Stainless steel is extremely famous in jewelry making because of the many benefits it provides. Not only the metal is extremely stylish to wear, but it is also corrosion and rust-free as well. Due to this reason, the metal can be worn most of the time in the shower as well. But, it must be kept in mind that a high level of chlorine and salt in the water may damage the metal. Apart from this, soaps containing a high level of acid are also not suitable for jewelry items made from stainless steel. So, you must consider all these factors if you own jewelry items made from metal.