How to Clean Your Fine Jewelry at Home (and Why You Should)

When you wear jewelry every day, it’s important to keep them in good condition as much as possible by cleaning them regularly. Doing this ensures that they will not just be clean and safe, but also scratch-free and thus retain their sparkle for a really long time.

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Why Clean Jewelry?

Dirty, unkempt jewelry can easily be a breeding ground for all kind of germs and bacteria that can lead to skin irritation and allergic reactions, and even discolor or degrade the metals, and even the gemstones themselves.

When you clean your jewelry right, there’s a far lesser risk of damaging them. This means that you should avoid using methods such as rigorous scrubbing, harsh chemicals, or prolonged submersion in liquids.

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How to Clean Your Jewelry and Rings

There are a lot of ways you can clean your precious metals and gemstones depending on the stone and the metal, and you can clean them less or more frequently based on how often you wear them around.

Diamond rings, for instance, are quite resistant to wear and tear, and a quick, gentle scrubbing once a week is great if you wear it every day.

However, for jewelry that’s more fragile and worn less frequently, you should steer away from using liquids to clean them as much as possible. The best way to go about cleaning them is by using a soft, damp toothbrush and a polishing cloth.

            Other ways of cleaning jewelry include the following:

• Vinegar – For your gold jewelry, let them sit in a shallow container or jar containing white vinegar for ten minutes.

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After ten minutes, remove them and use a soft-bristled toothbrush to scrub them clean of any bacteria or mold that may have gathered around the tiny nooks and crevices.

• Baking soda – To get rid of any tarnish from your silver jewelry, prepare a thick paste using 1/4^th cup of baking soda and two tablespoons of water.

Apply this to silver using a damp sponge and gently rub. Afterwards, rinse and dry. (Note: Do not use this technique for jewelry with pearls or gemstones, as this can either damage the finish or loosen the glue.)

• Aluminum foil – Line a bowl with aluminum foil. Inside the foil, pour hot water and add a tablespoon of laundry detergent in powder form that’s bleach-free.

Place the jewelry in this solution and let it sit for one minute before rinsing thoroughly and air-drying.

Professional Ring Cleaning

If you purchased jewelry locally, there’s a good chance that the inspections and cleanings are included for the piece’s lifetime.

However, if you purchased it elsewhere, the cleaning may depend on the jeweler, so be sure to choose one who has a keen understanding of the jewelry that you own, especially when it comes to antiques.

(Disclaimer: this list is compiled in no particular order.)