When it comes to wearing earrings, the earring backs are important in holding them in place. Otherwise, you end up losing your favorite pair of earrings because they slipped off somewhere. There are many earring back designs to choose from, depending on what’s suitable for you.
Silicone earring backs, are, however, becoming more and more popular especially in the US. They are comfortable to wear and even sleep with.
They are also suitable for heavy drooping earrings.
Despite their benefits, Silicone earring backs also have their downsides. If not properly taken care of, they tend to discolor and loosen.
That is why in this post, our focus will be on discussing important facts about wearing, cleaning, and maintaining silicone backs.
How To Remove Silicone Earring Backs First?
Because of how comfortable they are, silicone earring backs are used by many people, especially on children and with new piercings.
The earring backs are also easy to put on and remove and are not likely to get stuck like other backs like the butterfly earring backs. So how do you remove silicone earring backs at the end of the day?
It’s simple, use your thumbs and index fingers to firmly hold the stud/post of the earring at the front, and the silicone earring back at the rear end. With a firm grip, pull both sides at the same time, such that you’re pulling the earring back off the post. It might help to twist the silicone earring back a little as you pull at it, to help loosen it and get it off. Be careful not to use too much force when pulling since you don’t want to hurt yourself, or whoever is wearing the earring.
Although it’s rare for a silicone earring back to get embedded or stuck, there are some cases when the rubber hardens and this can occur. Luckily there are a few solutions you can apply.
The first solution is to use oil. This will help the silicone back to slide off easily. All you need is to take some cotton drenched in oil and press it against the earring back. Oil, however, is said to damage silicone so there may be a chance that you won’t be able to use the backs again.
An alternative would be to use nail clippers to cut the silicone earring backs off. Again, with this method, you will not be able to use the silicone backs afterward. First, you’d need to heat the nail clippers, you can use a hair drier or other sources of heat. The hot nail clippers are easier to use to cut through the hard rubber.
How To Clean Silicone Earring Backs.
As you wear your earrings frequently, over time the earring backs become dirty and are filled with gunk. If neglected, the silicone discolors over time and becomes an unpleasing yellow.
As a result, you should remember to clean your silicone earring backs as often as you clean your earrings and other jewelry.
So how do you clean a silicone earring back? Most people use cleaning agents like ammonia or hydrogen peroxide which also doubles up as a disinfectant. You can mix the hydrogen peroxide or ammonia in half a container of water, then soak the earring backs in the solution.
If the earring backs are too dirty or haven’t been washed over a long period, you can use the cleaning agents in their pure form. The amount of soaking time also depends on how dirty the earring backs were. If you clean them often then soaking them for 15-20 minutes should be sufficient time, otherwise, you can soak them for an hour.
After they’ve soaked, you can use a soft bristle brush to scrub the earring backs and remove any of the remaining muck. For the tiny hole in the earing back, you can use a toothpick to push out any dirt that may be there. Once you’re done scrubbing you can either soak or rinse the backs in warm water to remove the hydrogen peroxide/ammonia residue and leave them out to dry.
They should look as good as new once they are dry. If you don’t want to use ammonia or hydrogen peroxide, you could soak the earring backs in rubbing alcohol. Alternatively, dishwashing soap works well too.
How To Wear Silicone Earring Backs Correctly?
As we mentioned before, using silicone earring backs is easy, in terms of putting them on and taking them off.
There are however a few pointers that will help you ensure that you are wearing them correctly. For starters, it’s worth pointing out that silicone earring backs come in different shapes and designs.
Some designs are best suited for certain types of earrings. Silicone earring backs with wide discs for example are most suitable for heavy earrings. Not only do they hold the earrings in place, but they also distribute their weight evenly so your ears don’t droop.
Another pointer is to ensure that you clean the earring backs as often as you can depending on how often you put them on.
The more you use them, the more often you need to clean them. Also, avoid using oil on them, as this may cause them to slide off easily and result in you losing your earrings.
Lastly, ensure that the hole in your silicone earring back is big enough for your earring’s post to pass through without being loose.
Conclusion
Silicone earring backs are not only comfortable but are also compatible with different earring designs. That is why they are commonly used, and also because they are easy to use and most unlikely to get stuck.
Just remember to clean them often to avoid the accumulation of dirt and discoloration.
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Stephanie is a jewelry lover when she was a teenager. Her major was fashion design when she was in college. She is a jewelry designer at SOQ Jewelry and other design companies. Now she is also a writer for our website. She writes a lot of designs&brands posts with very actionable tips.