Do you need to clean your favorite jewelry as soon as possible and don’t have time to wait?
When we’re on a time crunch, it’s not always viable to bring our jewelry to a cleaner before we need to leave for an outing. Yet, we still would love to wear our favorite necklace with this dress because they look stunning together.
The good news is that it’s easy to clean jewelry without any expertise. By following our DIY jewelry cleaning guide, you’ll get your jewelry looking beautiful in no time. Keep reading to find out more!
Gold
Gold is one of the easiest types of jewelry to clean. All you need is some warm water and a little bit of dish soap.
Place your gold jewelry into the soapy bath and let it soak for a few minutes. Make sure to move it around a little bit so that the soap gets into all of the little crevices.
If there’s anything stuck on the gold, dip a soft cloth into the water and gently scrub at the stain. Avoid scrubbing too hard. It’s better to scrub for longer instead of scrubbing harder.
When you go to rinse off the soap, you’ll want to be careful about any small parts, such as with earrings. The best way to avoid this is by using a sieve to keep all of the pieces from slipping through your fingers. Dry each piece by rubbing a dry soft cloth onto the gold and watch as it catches the light once again!
Silver
Cleaning silver jewelry is much the same as cleaning golden jewelry. Use the same instructions as above to clean your jewelry until it shines. Don’t forget to give it a nice polish after you’ve cleaned it to help prevent tarnishing!
Tarnished Silver
When silver starts to discolor, this means that it’s beginning to tarnish. It not only looks strange but it also could damage the jewelry if left alone for too long.
You’ll want to start with a high-quality cleaner, such as Sparkle Bright jewelry cleaner. Dish soap does the trick in a pinch, but it’s a fix that doesn’t last very long. With a proper cleaner, the chemicals leave behind a protective coating that’ll prevent tarnishing in the future.
When faced with heavy-set tarnish, try mixing 1 tablespoon of water with 3 tablespoons of baking soda. Wet your jewelry and then apply this mixture onto the silver parts of your jewelry. Use a cloth to rub the mixture into the tarnished areas until it starts to rub off.
If the tarnish still sits in place, the last resort is to use a little bit of toothpaste. The gentle abrasive nature of toothpaste will scrub away tarnish, but you’ll need to be careful not to scratch up your jewelry. Rinse it well afterward and buff it dry.
Pearls
Pearls, along with opals and turquoise, are porous and will soak up any liquids they sit in. This results in the pearls losing their sheen and looking dull.
This means you’ll never want to clean your porous jewelry pieces in the same way as you clean other jewelry or else you’ll damage the pearls.
Instead, use a damp microfiber cloth to rub at the pearls until they shimmer in the light again, and then let them air dry. If the pearls are very dirty, add a drop of dish soap to the cloth as you go over all of the pearls. Use a new damp cloth to wipe the soap residue away and enjoy your lustrous pearls!
Delicate Gemstones
Gemstones are always tricky to clean since you need to be careful not to dislodge the gemstones from their fixtures. However, getting into all those little nooks and crannies is important for your jewelry to look beautiful again.
The best way to clean those small areas without damaging anything is to use carbonated water with a few drops of dish soap. The bubbles of the carbonation loosen any bits of dirt or grime stuck between the gemstones without scratching or moving them out of place.
Let the jewelry soak for a few minutes before rinsing and buffing it dry. For anything still stuck, use a very soft-bristled brush and carefully rub at the gemstones until they sparkle again.
Costume Accessories
When it comes to costume jewelry, you’ll want to avoid soaking the piece since this type of jewelry uses glue to set the stones in place. Any kind of soaking will only lead to that glue loosening and your costume gemstones will fall right off.
Instead, you’ll want to approach cleaning your costume jewelry in much the same way as you would pearls, though you won’t need to be as careful. Use a soapy soft cloth to clean the jewelry, and then use another damp cloth to wipe the soap away.
Tips for Protecting Your Jewelry
Sometimes the best way to keep your jewelry looking beautiful is to prevent it from getting dirty or dull in the first place.
Always take your jewelry off before you do any activities such as cleaning the house or gardening. This prevents scratches and dirt from getting into your jewelry. Take your jewelry off when you go to apply your makeup, lotion, or wash your hands since the chemicals could damage certain types of jewelry.
Never wear your jewelry while you’re swimming since saltwater or chlorine will harm delicate jewelry.
Make sure to wear your silver often so that the friction slows down the tarnishing. Store the jewelry in a special bag that prevents tarnishing when it’s not in use.
By following these tips, you’ll have gorgeous jewelry that lasts for a long time!
DIY Jewelry Cleaning Saves You Time and Money
The best part about this DIY jewelry cleaning guide is that it’s easy enough that anyone can clean their jewelry without worrying about damaging anything. This makes it a breeze to keep all of your favorite jewelry pieces looking as good as new without needing to make the trip to the jewelers. Plus, it saves you money.
Enjoy wearing your sparkling clean jewelry any time you want!
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