How To Clean Jewelry?

What kind of jewelry do you have?

Several factors determine cleaning method: metal type (gold karats, silver, platinum, base metal for costume jewelry), whether stones are present, type of stones (hard like diamond/sapphire/ruby, or soft like pearl/opal/turquoise), and whether the piece is solid or plated. The universal method below works for most fine jewelry. The exceptions need gentler treatment to avoid damage. For costume jewelry (plated pieces): use even gentler methods since plating wears away with aggressive cleaning. For antique or sentimental pieces, when in doubt, take to a jeweler.

What is the universal cleaning method?

Fill a small bowl with warm water (not hot). Add a few drops of mild dish soap like Dawn. Submerge the jewelry for 15 minutes; the warm soapy water dissolves body oils, hairspray residue, and surface grime. Lift out and gently scrub with a soft toothbrush, working into crevices, prong settings, and any detailed work. Pay special attention to the back of stones where dirt accumulates. Rinse with clean warm water using a strainer to prevent loss down the drain. Dry with a soft microfiber cloth. This handles routine cleaning for most jewelry.

How do you handle delicate stones?

Pearls: never soak. The water and soap damage the nacre coating. Wipe with a soft cloth dampened with plain water; do not use detergent. Opals: never soak. Water can change the color or cause cracking. Wipe gently with a soft cloth. Turquoise: never soak. Highly porous, absorbs water and chemicals which alter color. Emeralds: avoid ultrasonic cleaners which can damage fracture-filled stones. Coral, lapis, malachite: clean with damp cloth only. For any jewelry with these stones, the universal soak method does not apply; clean with damp soft cloth instead.

When should you take it to a jeweler?

Take to a jeweler for: annual inspection and cleaning of fine jewelry (most jewelers do this free for items they sold), any piece with loose stones or worn prongs (cleaning can dislodge already-loose stones), antique or vintage pieces with patina you want preserved, rhodium-plated white gold (needs replating every few years), professional ultrasonic cleaning when DIY isn't enough, repair work needed (broken clasps, bent settings, chain repair), and appraisal updates for insurance. Professional cleaning costs little or nothing for routine pieces and prevents the loss of stones that DIY cleaning can sometimes cause.