You have spent your hard earned money on fine designer jewelry. This is an investment, and one that is only worth it if your jewelry looks fabulous. You do not want your collection to look old, dingy, and dirty. You need to clean it occasionally and while you can opt for professional cleaning services, there are also several ways to clean jewelry by yourself at home.
Keeping diamonds, fine metals, and precious gemstones in top notch condition through effective home jewelry cleaning is essential. Here’s how to do it:
Sterling silver can oxidize over time, especially if it isn’t worn often. There are commercial cleaners made especially for silver. If you don’t have soap made for sterling silver, you may use Windex or an ammonia based solution instead to clean your jewelry. If you notice tarnish is forming, allow the water to bead up, then pat your piece dry with a soft cloth.
There are many different commercial gold cleaners that are able to return the gleam to your favorite pieces, but keep in mind that rubbing with a soft microfiber cloth works just as well and can be much quicker if you’re in a rush. You can also use an ammonia based solution, like Windex, to scrub tarnish away from your gold or platinum jewelry with a soft bristle brush. Be sure to rinse in lukewarm water and let the piece dry before you wear it.
The best method is simply mixing a drop of mild dish detergent in warm water. Let the jewelry soak in the water for a few minutes. Then, brush the stone lightly with a new soft-bristled toothbrush to gently brush away the debris, and then rinse and pat it dry with a soft cloth. This will successfully eliminate the dirt, debris, grease, and dust from the various sections of your piece. Once the gemstone is cleaned, rinse it off by soaking it in another bowl of lukewarm water. You can then dry it gently with a paper towel or soft cloth. Be sure to avoid touching your clean gemstones with your fingers by handling it by the edges.
Opals
Do not use water to clean opals. Only use a very soft cloth to clean debris off the stone. Any liquid that makes contact with opals is instantly absorbed by the stone and can lessen the “play of color” that the stone is known for.
