Now and again, you’ll find that your jewelry needs some cleaning — it can lose its shine with time and become a little dull.
If this happens, don’t worry! It’s easy to clean most pieces of jewelry at home, with no need to call in a professional — when you know what you need to do, that is.
If you’re wondering how to clean jewelry at home to get its gleam back, you’re in the right place. Keep reading to find out all you need to know about cleaning jewelry.
How To Clean Jewelry at Home
When it comes to cleaning most types of jewelry, a simple soak and brush can make more of a difference than you might think. If you’re trying to clean gold jewelry, you’ll probably want to try this too.
Start by grabbing a bowl and filling it with warm water and adding a little mild dish soap too. Put your jewelry in the bowl too, and leave it for about twenty minutes, and then go over it with a small brush. On the surface at least, this will keep your jewelry looking good.
For items you wear often, you might want to repeat this process a couple of times a week.
It’s also worth remembering that water can sometimes get trapped in rings, so you should let your jewelry air dry properly before you start wearing it again.
Cleaning Silver
When you need to clean silver jewelry, it’s best to use high-quality silver polish. By using polish, you ensure that tarnish gets dissolved and removed, while it forms a protective cover that prevents new tarnish from forming later on.
What if you don’t have the silver polish to hand, however? There are a couple of other methods, but they’re best when you don’t use them too regularly. They won’t prevent tarnish from returning either — if you’re looking for how to clean tarnished jewelry, they’ll work in a pinch, at least.
You can try using dish soap and water like in the method above, or mix one-part water with three-parts baking soda and turn it into a paste. Wet the jewelry a little and then apply the paste with a soft cloth, taking care not to rub it in too vigorously. Then, rinse the jewelry and dry it carefully.
Alternatively, a little bit of toothpaste can work, following the same process.
What About Aluminum Foil?
You might have heard that aluminum foil can help when you’re cleaning silver jewelry, and it’s true!
Get some foil in a bowl and lay the jewelry on it. From here, you can add baking soda and boiling water, and leave it alone for about half an hour. The baking soda reacts with the aluminum, cleaning your silver jewelry for you.
Cleaning Gemstones
What about gemstones? When it comes to diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and other stones, it’s a similar process to the one followed when you clean gold jewelry.
However, you can use seltzer water instead of regular water, mixing the former with dish soap instead. The added carbonation of seltzer water makes it more effective in getting rid of debris.
As for caring for the stones themselves, you should gently brush them with a soft-bristled toothbrush before rinsing with water and drying softly.
If you’re on the go or in a rush, it makes sense to keep a jewelry cleaning stick with you. They’re easy to use on the go to keep your gemstones looking great!
Cleaning Pearls
Pearls need to be handled with great care, as it’s easy for them to get damaged.
Make sure that you don’t soak them — ever. Instead, use a small makeup brush that’s been dipped in a mixture of warm water and shampoo, and gently make your way around each pearl. Then, rinse them with a dampened cloth, and finally, let them dry.
Also good for pearls is this liquid cleaner — while you may be a little apprehensive about using a cleaner on pearls, this one is perfectly safe to use!
Costume Jewelry
If you have any costume jewelry pieces, it’s worth knowing how to clean them too. They might not be as valuable, but it doesn’t hurt to keep them looking good!
Mix water with dish soap and dab a cloth into the mixture. Wipe any dirt or smudges on the jewelry, before rinsing it with another cloth that’s been dabbed into plain water.
You shouldn’t let costume jewelry soak in water — often, the stones will simply be glued on, and this could loosen the glue. Of course, you want your costume jewelry to look as realistic as possible, so it’s not worth the risk!
Caring for Your Jewelry
There are ways to care for your jewelry so that it might not need cleaning so often — it’s worth taking the time to really look after your jewelry, as this’ll save you both time and effort in the long term. Follow this jewelry care guidance, and you won’t go far wrong.
It might sound obvious, but take your jewelry off before you go swimming, as both chlorine and saltwater are likely to damage it. Likewise, if you’re washing your hands, or coming into close contact with cleaning materials, beauty products, or lotions, it’s best to remove your jewelry before doing so.
With silver, in particular, it’s best to wear it regularly. When you wear silver jewelry, the friction created slows down the tarnishing process. Meanwhile, if you’re not wearing your silver jewelry, you should keep it in an anti-tarnish bag instead of leaving it loose in your jewelry box.
Last but not least, don’t be afraid to get your jewelry checked out on a regular basis!
Clean Your Jewelry Today
As you can see, cleaning your jewelry at home doesn’t have to be too tricky. Now you know how to clean jewelry, why not get started and ensure that your collection remains in perfect condition?
There’s no time like the present, of course, so go and make your jewelry shine!
If you’re after more great tips and advice like this, don’t forget to check out the rest of our posts! We might have just what you’re looking for.
