With regular wear, even the finest and most beautiful pieces can start to decline in appearance. Google “how to clean jewelry” and you’ll find bizarre suggestions from pure ammonia to ketchup that can harm your beautiful and expensive pieces. When you notice your stones are starting to lose their sparkle, and your metals are losing their shine, what should you do? And more importantly, what should you avoid using to prevent causing harm, or even destroying your precious pieces? And how can you extend time between cleanings?
Recommended Ways To Clean At Home
- For routine cleanings, a good, pure detergent soap like Dawn is the best choice. Squeeze a small amount in a glass of warm water and add your jewelry. Soak for 5-10 minutes. Using a new, soft bristled toothbrush, lightly scrub remaining debris using small circles. Be sure to rinse and dry well.
- For a deeper cleaning, we recommend our professional jewelry cleaner. Unlike other cleaners it is formulated to be effective and safe on every metal and stone except amber. Put a small amount on a soft polishing cloth and gently rub the piece until it looks practically new again.
What Methods To Avoid When Cleaning At Home
- Hand soap or any soap containing citric acid, moisturizing agents, or enhancing chemicals
- Any harsh household cleaning products (without excessive caution and care they can strip metals and cloud stones)
- Baking soda (can scratch and remove coatings)
- Aluminum foil (can accelerate tarnish)
- Toothpaste (its abrasive can scratch metal)
- Hot or boiling water (can actually burn a diamond and ruin a piece beyond repair)
- Food items (generally ineffective, and additives like citric acid can do serious damage)
- Really anything outside of our suggestions
How to Extend Time Between Cleanings
- Remove rings while performing household cleaning and cooking.
- Remove all jewelry before bed.
- Store jewelry away from light and humidity at room temperature.
If, after using our suggestions to clean your pieces yourself, they aren’t shining how they should, consider bringing them into a jeweler for cleaning. They may be damaged in a way that can be repaired. But with patience and a careful hand, you’ll almost certainly be able to make your beautiful jewelry shine like new. To try our professional jewelry cleaner, contact us.