Interested in how to clean jewelry and make it sparkle without damaging it? Learn the best ways to clean precious metals and precious stones. We’ll also look at what to avoid when you clean jewelry.
THE EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
A soft, clean cloth.
This will be enough for something simple like a plain wedding band. And you’ll probably need a basin. Easy.
Is it a diamond ring? Or a brooch? If your jewelry has hard to reach areas, it’s a good idea to use a soft brush too.
PRODUCTS YOU CAN USE
There are lots of jewelry cleaning products for sale to the public. Alternatively, you may want to see if there’s something you already have at home that could double up.
DEDICATED JEWELRY CLEANING PRODUCTS
Weiman Jewelry Cleaner Liquid is a top seller and comes in at under $5. It consistently gets great reviews for diamonds and rings.
Another popular product is Connoisseurs Delicate Jewelry Cleaner. At less than $10 it’s a good all rounder from rings to necklaces. Reviewers noted that it was great on tarnished jewelry and engraved pieces.
Interested in rings? Learn more about the fascinating history of wedding rings here.
WANT TO DO IT YOURSELF?
On a budget? We understand that some people want to clean their jewelry using products they already own. And some of them are fine. But beware! We don’t recommend all of these products for cleaning jewelry, as you will see.
LEMON JUICE
Lemon juice is a popular home product for tarnished silver jewelry. And in fact, you can use it for silver jewelry with no problems. But it will damage gold or anything porous over time.
Rubbing Alcohol
We don’t recommend rubbing alcohol, simply because it’s very harsh. People like the effect of rubbing alcohol at first because it cuts through the grease.
However, over time, metals and stones can lose their shine permanently.
Apple cider vinegar
Diamonds do well here. But they are extremely hard, so it’s difficult to damage them. Silver is also OK.
But it’s stronger than you may have thought. So don’t use apple cider vinegar on precious stones, pearls or gold.
Toothpaste
Pros: You’re sure to have this at home.
Cons: It can totally ruin your jewelry. Just don’t do it. It’s a common myth that you can clean jewelry with toothpaste. Yes, whitening toothpaste in particular has abrasive particles. But these particles can actually scratch your jewelry, making it duller than ever.
Peroxide
While peroxide may seem like a total no-no, it’s fine on durable metals like gold or silver. Peroxide will, of course, completely sanitize your jewelry too.
Just be extremely careful you rinse off all the residue if it’s piercing jewelry.
Dawn
Dawn is actually a good choice. It’s not too harsh, it cuts through grease, and it won’t degrade metals or stones. Just soak your jewelry for about half an hour in warm water and Dawn. Then polish it gently with a cloth.
Baking Soda
This is a popular home solution for dull jewelry, but don’t reach for it just yet. You can rub a paste of baking soda and water on sterling silver jewelry and any metal harder than that.
But it’s too abrasive for anything softer like brass. Other types of silver may also be too soft.
HOW THE PROS CLEAN JEWELRY
Take the example of a customer coming in for jewelry repair in Woodland Hills with a necklace. She also wants it cleaned.
First, Maxferd jewelers do a deep clean with professional tools that are both gentle and effective. We also remove dull spots with intense polishing equipment. Then if there’s any issue with the engraving, we touch it up with computerized engraving machines and laser welders. It’s state of the art and really the best way to clean your jewelry.
NEED A PROFESSIONAL JEWELRY CLEANING JOB?
Need your jewelry cleaned without damaging it? Maybe you’re looking for jewelry repair in Beverly Hills. We’ll clean your items up for you at the same time so that they sparkle like new.
If you’d like your jewelry cleaned by the experts, come in and talk to our team. Alternatively, give us a call at (800) 888-7296. We’re in San Francisco, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills, Van Nuys and Lawndale.
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