10 TIPS TO QUICKLY CLEAN YOUR JEWELLERY

Let's face it: everyone's jewelry requires a thorough cleaning every now and then. If you examine at your personal collection, you'll probably discover that your expensive jewelry is becoming tarnished or just dirty - and possibly scuffed and scratched. So, how can you clean your jewelry quickly?

To keep its luster, any jewelry requires some care and attention. If you're not sure where to begin, we're here to help with our top 10 best tips to rapidly clean your jewellery to teach you how to clean and care for your gold, silver, and gemstone jewelry fast and effortlessly.

If you have more time and want to learn more about the challenges and risks associated with cleaning jewelry, you should read our full jewelry cleaning & care guide, which will provide you with all the information you need. If you're unsure about any of the phrases used in this article, check out our thorough jewelry dictionary, which contains 100+ meanings of essential jewelry terms.

So let's get started

1. CHECK YOUR JEWELLERY

It's easy to overlook the fact that your jewelry requires cleaning, either because you wear it all the time and don't notice the changes or because it's stored somewhere and you don't look at it very frequently. You might be surprised to discover how filthy and uninteresting some of your favorite pieces are.

The good news is that cleaning most jewelry pieces is simple. Continue reading to find out how.

2. GIVE IT A WASH

This is the most basic cleaning process, but it is beneficial to almost all jewelry. You might find that it's all you need to do for many pieces, especially solid gold or fashion jewelry.

Warm water and a soft colorless and fragrance-free liquid soap should be used to clean your jewelry. Castile soap, woollen soap, or even a soft hand soap without moisturiser, antibacterial, or harsh additives should suffice.

To remove filth from crevices, use a cloth or a soft bristles brush. Soft gems, such as opals or pearls, should not be left in water for an extended period of time as this may damage them.

When it's clean, make sure to rinse and dry it fast and thoroughly.

3. TRY AN ULTRASONIC CLEANER

If filth and dust are difficult to remove from intricate pieces, consider purchasing a low-cost ultrasonic cleaner and following the instructions. It will effectively remove dirt and debris from otherwise inaccessible locations.

Note that an ultrasonic cleaner will not remove tarnish, but it will perform wonders on complex items with lots of crevices where dirt can build and stick.

Continue reading to find out why you shouldn't always use an ultrasonic cleaner...

4. BUT: DON'T ALWAYS USE AN ULTRASONIC!

To be safe, avoid ultrasonic cleaning if your silver jewelry has blackened or patinated parts as part of the design or if it contains soft gemstones such as opals, lapis lazuli, turquoise, or pearls.

Use with caution because this technique can damage some finishes and sensitive gemstones.

5. REMOVE TARNISH WITH A POLISHING CLOTH

Sterling silver, in particular, may tarnish over time, but so will other precious metals, including lower carat gold. This is a normal metal process, and the tarnish is easily removed from precious metals.

If your precious metal jewelry has become tarnished, remove it with a precious metal jewellery cleaning cloth, such as the professional quality polishing cloths we sell in our online store.

Once you're satisfied, rinse and carefully dry the piece to remove any chemical residue.

6. OR: USE SILVER DIP INSTEAD

Silver dip can also be used to rapidly and easily remove tarnish from sterling silver. It is especially effective on silver chains, which can be tough to clean with a polishing cloth alone.

Silver dip or anything similar should be available at your local grocery, larger pharmacy, or hardware store. Otherwise, visit a local jewelry store.

Follow the instructions exactly, and always rinse and dry after you're through.

7. BUT: DON'T ALWAYS USE SILVER DIP!

If your silver jewelry contains blackened parts as part of the design or soft gemstones like lapis lazuli, turquoise, or pearls, avoid silver dip to be safe since it may damage some finishes and gemstones.

8. AVOID HARSH CLEANING

Never employ 'old wives' jewellery cleaning procedures that involve rubbing toothpaste or baking soda paste into the metal. These procedures will remove tiny amounts of metal each time you use them, which will harm and deplete your expensive jewelry over time.

Gold vermeil, gold filled, or plated jewelry, in particular, should never be cleaned in this manner or it will be ruined. Learn more about the many forms of gold jewelry to understand why this is the case.

Use caution when rubbing a polishing cloth, brush, or anything else against the metal, especially if your jewelry has a more delicate finish, such as gold plating, blackening, or a patina.

Too much zeal for jewelry cleaning may be harmful!

9. CLEANING SILK THREAD NECKLACES

If your necklace is made of silk thread (such as our famous forget-me-nots silk necklace), it can be washed in warm soapy water followed by a rinse.

To dry, lay the piece flat or hang it up. The silk should be straight. Otherwise, straighten it out with an iron on the silk setting.

10. STORE YOUR JEWELLERY CAREFULLY

Now that your jewelry is clean, consider how to best keep it to avoid having to clean it again too soon.

Avoid storing precious metal jewelry in a damp environment, particularly the bathroom, since this will hasten tarnishing. If you reside in a humid area, you should take extra precautions and clean more frequently.

Precious metal jewelry should ideally be stored away from open air. This will also help to slow down tarnish and keep dust at bay. If possible, keep it in a purse, compact jewelry box, or something similar.

If you enjoy wearing your jewelry, bear in mind that it will need to be cleaned more frequently, so keep an eye on it.

Another important factor to remember is that pressing metal against metal, tougher gemstones, or other hard surfaces will scratch it. To avoid scratching, keep your precious metal jewelry stored separately and avoid rubbing beads or chains against pendants.