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16 Simple Steps to Spring Clean Your Jewelry Store

Take the time to come clean before summer begins

Take the opportunity to clean your jewelry store before the heat of summer sets in. Now is the perfect time for some much-needed spring cleaning, organizing, and freshening up!

 

Here are sixteen simple steps to spring clean your jewelry store–

 

Start From the Top

“Seriously?” you’re asking. Seriously, friends. Time to clean your jewelry store from top to bottom.

1. Thoroughly dust your store

Cobwebs are only appropriate at Halloween, and even then, not in your store. Buy an inexpensive ceiling broom and start from the center of the ceiling, working your way outward toward the corners. Now go down the walls in a continuous pattern, taking care not to miss a spot.

2. Wipe the ceilings, wipe the walls

Dilute one part vinegar with four parts distilled water and wipe the baseboards, chair rails, and any smudges on the paint. Do this the night before to give the vinegar smell time to evaporate.

3. Freshen your fixtures

Now take the light fixtures off the lights and wash well with soapy water. Spritz with glass cleaner, dry thoroughly (don’t miss this step or subsequent cleanings will be gross), and reinstall. You’ll wonder how you ever worked in the dark so long. As an added bonus, your jewelry will shine as it should.

4. Clear the air vents

Unscrew air vents, wash thoroughly, and remount.

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Eradicate the Odor

Remember those funny air freshener commercials about nose blindness? Turns out, nose blindness is an actual scientific phenomenon. And the not-so-funny reality is that while we don’t notice the scents we’re around every day, our visitors sure do. Unfortunately for us, they’re far too polite to tell us anything. So you need to find your most brutally honest friend (preferably one with a discriminating beak) who will walk into your store and give it to you straight. They may tell you that last week’s tuna salad sandwich is still permeating the showroom floor and that the carpet you installed five years ago reeks of onion and mothballs.

And if this is indeed the case, you have a few options when you clean your jewelry store.

5. Empty the fridge

Really. You don’t think odors from the back office can reach the front of the store, but they absolutely can. Clean the fridge, wash shelves and racks with soap and water, defrost the freezer, and put fresh baking soda in both. While you’re in there, flush all the drains with baking soda and boiling vinegar. You’ll notice a dramatic difference pretty quickly.

6. Vacuum your show floor

You’ve already dusted everything, so now is the time to vacuum. (I don’t care what anyone says: Dust first, vacuum second. Unless your vacuum cleaner was manufactured before 1972, it won’t kick up enough dust to justify vacuuming first.) Better still, have the carpets professionally cleaned to remove stubborn odors and deep-set stains. Ideally, you should change your carpet every three years. With high traffic, the pile inevitably wears down and accumulates stains and odors. If you can’t afford to replace the carpet so often, consider moving your cases around to cover the worn, splotchy areas. You’ll be more than amazed at what you uncover under those cases!

7. Consider robust flooring

If you’re really serious about investing in high-quality flooring, have hardwood installed. But be aware that the upkeep of hardwood is neither cheap nor easy. Perhaps you can consider some fun alternative surfaces like stained concrete or wood plank ceramic tile. Keep in mind how your new flooring will compliment your brand and enhance the shopping experience.

8. Wash those windows

If you have window coverings, take them down and wash them or have them dry cleaned. The thicker they are, the more likely they are to absorb odors. Now clean the windows inside and out. Let that golden sunshine in for a bit.

9. Aromatize the air

Spray some of that air freshener. Find an odor-neutralizing one or at least something subtle. Be mindful of those with fragrance allergies — avoid overbearing scents like cinnamon or patchouli. Research indicates that subtle smells, especially vanilla, work well in retail experiences. Here’s JCK’s take on how to create the perfect store scent.

10. Create your own smell

Investigate commercial air fresheners. Some jewelers use ScentAir, for example. Find a company who will work with you to create a custom scent. Think about it, what better way to brand yourself than with a signature scent? Retail giants like Abercrombie & Fitch and The Home Depot capitalize on scent marketing, with Las Vegas casinos also cashing in on the tactic. Be mindful of fragrance allergies here, but follow your nose to new heights.

Tackle the Cases

11. Remove the clutter

The daily newspaper, the random loupe, the out-of-date brochures — toss these out with abandon (well, maybe not the loupe). Don’t hold back here. If you really can’t part with it, find a logical, permanent home for it that doesn’t cover your $3,000 diamond stud earrings.

12. Mop the top of your showcases

With the same vinegar-and-water solution you used on the baseboards, spray the tops of your cases. If you have a lot of real estate, save time by wiping with a squeegee. Then, wipe any streaks clean. Don’t forget to get the inside of the glass, too. You don’t think about it, but your fingers routinely make smudges when you reach in to place or retrieve merchandise.

13. Let there be light

If you have lights inside your cases (and you should), wipe them down with a dry cloth. Replace burnt bulbs if necessary. And if you haven’t already, consider transitioning to LED lighting for a longer-lasting, more energy efficient lighting option.

14. Cleanse every inch

Use a cotton swab with your vinegar solution and get corners and inside the tracks of the cases. You’ll be more than slightly grossed out by what you find there. This is the finishing touch required to clean your jewelry store from top to bottom.

Clean your jewelry store cases

Move Your Merchandise

That’s right – time to focus what’s in your cases.

15. Fill your cases

After you clean your jewelry store, it’s time to fill the empty holes in your earring displays. Neck form missing a necklace? Replace it! There’s no excuse for glaring holes in your displays. Or holes anywhere in your cases, for that matter.

16. Strategize with visual merchandising

Look through home design magazines and find inspiration in their decor. Go to a hobby store and put seasonal items inside your cases. Use a seashell as a ramp for your tennis bracelet. Spread spring flowers along the baseboards. Do this sparingly and carefully — you don’t want it to look cluttered or haphazard.

Clean your jewelry store showcases

Now, Just Breathe!

You’re getting ready for summer and working your way through allergy season. That means it’s imperative to take care of you right now. Stay hydrated and rested. Yes, it’s hard to find time to eat lunch, let alone sleep eight hours a night, but you won’t endear yourself to your customers by sneezing all over your cases. Besides, you just cleaned them…


So what are you doing to clean your jewelry store this spring? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emily Graffagnino

Executive Director of Fine Jewelry and Gemstones

I've been with Stuller since 2010 • Spending time in my rose beds makes me happy • I sing Don Williams songs too often and probably too loud • Every gift needs a bow • When in doubt, channel your inner Gene Kranz. "Work the problem, expect to succeed."