To worry about a dirty earring?

[ChainReacting]

DD15 got her second ear piercing just after Christmas. We were out shopping today and her earring fell out on the shop floor - she picked it up, gave it a quick wipe on her sleeve and put it back in!! Now I can’t stop thinking about sepsis, blood infections etc. She thinks I’m being ridiculous. AIBU? (She’s my first in case you can’t tell!)

It will be fine. I wouldn't have even wiped it!

That piercing is well healed up by now!

You’re being ridiculous. It’s absolutely fine!

Ok thank you, had made my head worse with googling! Will put it down to peri, am anxious about everything.

I regularly take out all of my earrings (11) and my nose piercings (3) and use anything nearby to clean them, safety pins, other earrings, my nails, literally anything and put them back in, I’m still
alive after years of doing this!

Adding to the chorus of she’ll be fine. You’d only need worry if it was a very fresh piercing and even then she would probably be fine!

Slightly off-topic, but what is the best way to clean earrings? I don't clean mine at all. (Haven't dropped any on ground though.)

Cool boiled water and salt

I just use hand wash and warm water, and scrub with a (new) toothbrush.

That's for the piercing itself (while new and healing), not the hardware you put in it.

If something were to go wrong it would be red and sore etc. the earring hole is sealed and unlikely to get infected now.
But obviously ideally use sanitiser if you drop your earring and put it back in.
But don't panic!

Also works for the earrings. Been doing it for years and never had an infection

Salt can damage the earring, depending what it's made of.

Salty water also isn't a degreaser. Soap or alcohol are more effective at getting rid of skin oils.

I have one of those tiny jam jars that come with a cream tea. Fil, it with warm water, drop of hand-wash, lid on and a good shake. Then dry them with a bit of kitchen roll. Only on a very occasional basis of course. The rest of the time they just get a rub round when I wash my hair

Vinegar. My jewellery soaks in vinegar for a few hours and comes out sparkling.

If I want to sterilise an earring I generally soak in surgical spirit for a while.

Otherwise, a toothbrush and washing up liquid. If it’s ultrasonic safe, then they go in there.