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Do your gold earrings appear drab? Alternatively, your beloved silver necklace has been tarnished. You can make sure your jewelry always shines and sparkles the way it was intended to by learning how to clean it at home. Additionally, it will maintain your components in the finest possible condition and help avoid damage.
It’s easy to clean your jewelry at home, and a high-end cleaner is not necessary. However, certain mistakes can have more negative effects than positive ones. We asked some jewelry experts for their best advice on how to safely and successfully clean your jewelry at home.
GO Ahead and SkipWhy jewelry gets dirty, how to clean it, five top-rated jewelry cleaners, and how to prevent breaking it when washing it
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What causes jewelry to get dirty?
Since you perspire and spill stuff, it makes natural that you would need to wash your clothes after wearing them. However, what contaminates jewelry? Actually, a lot of things. According to Julia Parsons, CEO and founder of Incredible Rising, a jewelry brand for women celebrating major milestones, the most frequent items are your personal body oils and the soaps and lotions that come into contact with your jewelry. Both can reduce the brilliance and give your jewelry a drab, hazy appearance.
According to Mike Cooke, founder of Sterling Forever, hair products, makeup, and perfume are among frequent items that can sully your jewelry. For instance, if you wear a necklace and spray perfume, the particles may adhere to your jewelry. According to Cooke, environmental elements like dust, filth, and pollution as well as activities like swimming and gardening can also bring dirt and tarnish.
How to clean your jewelry
It’s time to clean your jewelry at home if it appears drab or unclean. However, there is no one-size-fits-all method for cleaning jewelry; instead, it depends on the kind of item you own. More precisely, how your jewelry gets dirty and how you should clean it depends on the kind of metal it is composed of. Our specialists have provided an easy-to-follow breakdown:
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Solid gold:
This metal doesn t tarnish and all you really need to use to clean it is water and a mild dish soap, says Parsons. While gold is durable, Cooke and Parsons warn you to be careful. Use a very soft toothbrush to gently clean your piece with soap and then rinse it with water and pat dry. -
Silver:
Unlike gold, silver does tarnish this means it will visibly look dull or like there is a layer of dirt caked on thanks to oxidation. Because of this, you need to use a silver polish and a cloth to polish it and make it shine again, says Parsons. -
Gold- or silver-plated:
This type of jewelry is an inexpensive metal base coated in a thin layer of silver or gold. You can use the same approach for gold that you do for gold-plated items and the same technique for silver-plated that you do for silver. The only difference? Because this jewelry isn t solid silver or gold, it can more easily chip the plating. To avoid this, avoid over-cleaning or using abrasive products or cloth, says Cooke. -
Diamonds and other gems:
It s best to consult a jeweler before cleaning a precious gem, as different types require different care. It is generally safe to soak diamonds in warm water and a few drops of gentle dish soap for five to ten minutes before rinsing them off says Cooke. However, more porous stones like opals and pearls should not be submerged.
5 highly rated jewelry cleaners
5 highly rated jewelry cleaners
Hagerty Silversmiths’ Polish
$10.99
Amazon
CONNOISSEURS Premium Edition Fine Jewelry Cleaner
$9.99
Amazon
Weiman Fine Jewelry Cleaner Liquid with Cleaning Brush
$9.91
Amazon
Brilliant Jewelry Cleaner
$6.95
Amazon
Blitz 653 Gem & Jewelry Cleaner Concentrate
$6.59
$7.95
Amazon
How to avoid damaging your jewelry when cleaning it
The aforementioned advice will help you clean your jewelry as thoroughly as possible at home. Our specialists concurred that there are a few strategies you can employ in addition to adhering to the fundamentals of cleaning to prevent possible harm. Take a look at them below:
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Skip harsh materials:
Ragged clothes, chemical-laden cleaners, firm toothbrushes? It s best to skip these items, as they can damage or scratch your jewelry, says Parsons. You can rely on gentle dish soap and water to clean most of your jewelry except for silver. And if you use a toothbrush to scrub, make sure it is one with soft bristles, Parsons adds. -
Be extra careful around stones:
Stone settings and thinner areas like near a clasp and be extra delicate, so use even more care around these parts, says Parsons. And if you have a loose or chipped stone, it s better to leave the cleaning to a jeweler. Or, even better, have your piece repaired first. -
When in doubt, seek out a pro:
Speaking of pros, if you aren t sure how you should clean a piece, you should take it to a jeweler to have them clean it. Porous stones like opals, pearls, lapis and emeralds are sensitive to heat, water and certain chemicals and can be easily damaged, says Parsons. A professional can clean them carefully to avoid anything happening to those stones. -
Skip unconventional cleaners:
Perhaps you ve heard that ketchup or toothpaste make good jewelry cleaners. It s thought that the mild acidity in ketchup can remove build-up or tarnish on silvers, says Cooke. Similarly, toothpaste is thought to have a slightly abrasive consistency to rub away grime. But Cooke says avoiding these is safest, as they can scratch or damage metals and gems.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we collaborate with professionals that possess specific expertise and power derived from pertinent education and experience. Additionally, we guarantee that all professional counsel and suggestions are given impartially and free from unreported financial conflicts of interest.
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Julia Parsons
is the CEO and founder ofIncredible Rising
, a jewelry brand for women celebrating success milestones.
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Mike Cooke
is the founder ofSterling Forever
, a jewelry brand offering stylish and on-trend pieces.
Why trust NBC Select?
Journalist Bethany Heitman contributes to NBC Select and frequently writes about lifestyle, home, and beauty. She spoke with jewelry cleaning specialists for this story.
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