[Caitlin]

I'd think twice about soaking akoyas in salt water, let alone overnight. I think their stabilization processes make them imcompatible with water of any kind.

Salt is dehydrating. I have used a salt slurry to clean my natural Persian Gulf pearls, but they did not sit in the solution, they just slooshed in it until the pearls were clean. THEN I rehydrated them with several baths of pure water and let them sit in the bathroom.

I would not try salt with PPB's- cultured saltwater pearls. Why risk drying them out...they could detach from their foundations, if dry enough.

I have heard of corn oil used on FW pearls and mineral oil, but mineral oil is actually kind of drying too.

For CFWP I like to use plain water to rinse and a light coating of a pure, refined veggie oil, such as jojoba and other very fine oils that are good for human faces. I mean a very light coating. I rub a little on my palms and pass the pearls through my hands. You do not want a build up of grease on your pearls.