How to Clean Your Jewelry

Do you want to keep your jewelry looking like new? Cleaning your jewelry is the best way to maintain its shine and beauty. The cleaning solutions below are specially formulated to clean your jewelry, including gold, silver, pearls, and gemstones, without damaging them.

Jewelry should shine, but with time, exposure to sweat, air, moisture, lotions, soaps, and other substances can cause your favorite pieces to lose their luster. These cleaning methods are the perfect way to make your jewelry look new again. 

Keep your jewelry looking fabulous with these easy-to-use cleaning solutions. It only takes minutes to do. You will see a noticeable change in the appearance of your jewelry. Moreover, it’s safe for you and the environment!

How to Clean Silver

A good silver polish contains ingredients that dissolve and remove tarnish while leaving behind a protective coating to stop new tarnish from forming. This process is the best and safest way to clean tarnished silver pieces and keep them from quickly re-tarnishing.

Using liquid and paste polishes can become messy, especially if you’re pressed for time. A neater, more practical alternative is to use disposable silver cleaning wipes. Other options include reusable mitts that have been carefully treated or multi-layer cloths, with one layer for cleaning and removing tarnish and another for shining.

Do-It-Yourself Silver Cleaning Hacks

Try one of the do-it-yourself techniques listed below if you don’t have silver polish on hand and need to brighten silver immediately. Remember that these remedies won’t prevent tarnish from returning, and silver experts advise avoiding using them frequently (if at all). 

Use them, particularly the toothpaste method, only for last-minute touch-ups. Avoid vigorous rubbing on silver-plated jewelry to prevent eroding the metal’s finish. Here are the materials you can use for silver cleaning: 

Dish Soap 

You can use dish soap by combining a few drops of dish soap, such as Dawn, with warm water. Rub the silver to remove the tarnish by dipping a delicate cloth in the solution. Use cool water to rinse and a soft towel to buff dry.

Baking Soda

Mix three parts baking soda to one part water for thicker tarnish. Apply the paste to the wet silver using a delicate, lint-free cloth. Turn the fabric as it takes the tarnish and works it into the cracks. Thoroughly rinse, then buff dry.

Toothpaste

You may also use toothpaste for mild abrasives to remove tarnish from silver, just as they can remove stains from your teeth. Use a delicate cloth or finger to apply a minimal amount of white-paste toothpaste (not gel) and gently massage it on the tarnished silver. Next, thoroughly rinse with warm water before shining with a soft cloth.

How to Clean Gold

Give your solid gold bracelets, chains, and earrings a gentle wash in a mixture of warm water. Then, place a few drops of dish soap. You should put small jewelry items in a filter before being soaked in the solution; more significant pieces can be washed in the answer directly for about five minutes to loosen dirt. 

Swish the things before removing them, lay them on a clean towel, and use a soft toothbrush to scrub away any remaining filth from the chain links and crevices. You should place small parts should back in the filter. Then you should thoroughly wash it. Dry with a gentle cloth.

How to Clean Pearls

Pearls often lose their shine due to their porous nature, which allows them to adhere to dirt and dust. Whether they are genuine, fake, or both, you must clean them carefully—first rule: Never soak pearls since doing so might weaken and break the thread.

Start by placing the pearl strand on a soft towel before cleaning them. Combine warm water and a tiny amount of gentle shampoo with a clean, small makeup brush. Shake off any extra solution, then thoroughly coat each pearl. Finally, use a clean, moist towel that has been well-wrung to rinse the pearls. To stop the string from stretching, let the strand dry flatly.

Turquoise and opals respond nicely to this no-soak treatment as well (which are also porous stones). To make cleaning pearl strands easier and less time-consuming, special pearl care cleaning kits, such as the one below from Town Talk, contain tissue sachets of cleaner and a polishing cloth.

How to Clean Gemstones

Precious and semi-precious stones set in gold, such as sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and diamonds, can quickly regain their luster. Use the same procedures outlined above to clean gold, but use some dish soap with seltzer water instead of plain water. Carbonation helped to loosen grime and remove material that had been lodged in the surfaces and on the settings.

You should clean your stones with a gentle toothbrush before being rinsed in clear water or put in a strainer. Then, run under running water. Dry with a buff and savor the brilliance. Keep a jewelry cleaning wand. Utilize the soft brush tip to remove dirt and grime while dispensing the cleaner by simply twisting the thin rod. See your diamonds glow after a thorough rinse!

How to Clean Costume Jewelry

To remove any smudges or filth, dip a cloth into a foamy mixture of dish soap and water, wring it out well, and gently wipe. Rinse next using a towel that has been wet with water. To prevent moisture from soaking into the setting, pat the pieces dry and put them upside down.

Don’t immerse costume items in water since stones are frequently glued on rather than set, causing the adhesive to loosen and the “gems” to fall off. 

Tips for Everyday Care of Jewelry

There are several easy ways you can keep your jewelry looking great. Not only will it look better, but these tips will also help prevent tarnishing and ensure that the stones stay bright for years!

1. To keep the settings clean, take off your rings while washing your hands, using lotion, cleaning the home, or applying cosmetics. Additionally, put on perfume before donning necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.
2. Wearing jewelry while swimming puts it at risk of harm from chlorine and seawater.
3. To eliminate body fluids and perfume that may cause pearls to become yellow, wipe them with a soft cloth after each use.
4. Wear silver instead of storing it in your jewelry box! The more you wear it, the shinier it gets (the friction slows down tarnishing). Keep accessories in an anti-tarnish bag while not in use.
5. Have costly jewelry regularly inspected by a qualified jeweler to ensure the settings are safe and the stones are in good condition.

Conclusion

You’re not alone if you have no idea how to clean your jewelry. Many people don’t know what proper cleaning is, leading them to severe problems with their precious metals over time! That’s why I’m here now as a guide on everything that needs attention when caring for these pieces properly, so they stay looking nice longer than ever before. 

Even after dozens upon generations pass by without touching yours or taking care of themselves, you’d be surprised how they keep their jewelry pieces fresh. Follow my simple tips, and you’ll be able to save your jewelry looking great for years to come. Not only will your jewelry look better, but it will also last longer.

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