Jewelry gets dirty, and it needs to be cleaned. Over time, oils from our skin and other environmental factors can dull or tarnish your favorite pieces, but cleaning them at home is easier than you might think. With a few simple steps, you can clean your jewelry on a regular basis and bring back that sparkle they had when you first got them.
If you are in a hurry and don’t have time to clean your jewelry by hand, there are several jewelry cleaner products available. These solutions are a safe and quick way to keep your jewelry looking like new without putting your hands in harsh chemicals or using abrasive scrubbers. Before you buy any solution, however, be sure to read the label guidelines and test it on a small piece of your jewelry to make certain it is compatible with the product.
One of the easiest and most affordable jewelry cleaners is household vinegar. It safely dissolves tarnish, removes hard water marks, and softens light scratches on your jewelry, according to the Gem Society. You can also use an old toothbrush to get into the crevices on your sterling silver to thoroughly clean it.
Another popular DIY jewelry cleaner is a mixture of baking soda, hot water, and a touch of salt. This recipe works particularly well on silver. Line a small bowl with aluminum foil, and add your jewelry to the solution. The aluminum and the baking soda will cause a chemical reaction that produces hydrogen gas. This strips away tarnish within minutes. Once the jewelry is clean, rinse it with cool water and pat dry with a soft cloth.
If your jewelry has glued-on gemstones, check that the adhesive remains intact before you soak them in the solution for too long. This could weaken the bond and loosen the stones, causing them to fall off and be lost. If possible, a mild abrasive such as sandpaper can be used to gently scrub your gemstones.
Professional jewelry cleaners often use a steam and ultrasonic cleaning process to leave your jewelry shiny and sparkly. But you can also recreate this magic at home by placing your jewelry in a container filled with very hot water and squirt of dish soap, then dangling it in the solution for about 30 minutes.
This will clean your jewelry of grease, dust, and other grime that accumulates on it during daily wear. This cleaner is non-toxic and free-rinsing, so it leaves your jewelry completely safe to wear. It is an excellent option for a deep clean on all types of jewelry, and a quart of the concentrate makes about 3 1/2 gallons of cleaner, so it will last you a long time. The only drawback to this DIY cleaner is that it has a strong scent, so it’s not ideal for those who are sensitive to smells. The product does, however, come with a reusable container that you can reuse over and over.
