You love the shimmer of silver, the glint of gold, the brilliance of gemstones, and the luster of pearls. But your gold has dulled, your silver has grown tarnished, and your diamonds don’t sparkle anymore. What can you do?
Several different household ingredients work for cleaning jewelry. Certain polishes and cleaners remove tarnish to shine up silver. Soap cleans most jewelry, and if that doesn’t work, a simple paste can rub away stains.
If you’re cleaning gemstones, research the best cleaner for each one. Many precious stones can be damaged by using the wrong cleaning methods.
Let’s show you how to clean jewelry at home
1. Use a Polishing Cloth
Before you scrub your jewelry, try a polishing cloth. You can use a polishing cloth to remove tarnish from gold and silver, and then buff it to a shine. You can also use a microfiber or non-abrasive cloth to polish jewelry.
2. Scrub With a Toothbrush
The bristles of a soft toothbrush are perfect for getting into the crannies and crevices in a piece of jewelry. First, try cleaning the jewelry with a wet toothbrush. If the water doesn’t get the piece clean, mix up one of the following solutions:
- water and detergent
- water and a little toothpaste
- water and baking soda
Dip the toothbrush in your mixture to gently scrub away dirt from your jewelry. Then rinse the piece in clean water to remove the cleaning solution.
3. Wash in Soap and Water
A gentle mixture of soap and water works for sterling silver care and for other types of jewelry. Start with soap and water before you progress to other types of cleaning.
You should also use this method on opals and pearls, which need special attention. Lift particles off of the gemstones with a toothpick, then wipe them with soap and water on a damp cloth. Dry the stones with a clean cloth.
4. Bubble With Antacids
The bubbling action of effervescent heartburn tablets can clean dirt off of jewelry. Place your jewelry in warm water, drop in a few tablets, and let the solution bubble for several minutes. Then remove and rinse the jewelry.
5. Clean With Ammonia
Diamonds are the hardest known natural material, so they can handle strong cleaners. If soap and water don’t work, soak your diamonds in an ammonia-based cleaner, or in a mixture of 1 part ammonia to 6 parts water. After you soak the jewelry for a few minutes, wash it with a toothbrush or cloth, then rinse and dry it.
You can also try using ammonia to remove the tarnish on sterling silver. Mix up an ammonia solution, then let the jewelry sit in the solution for several minutes.
Be careful when using ammonia. Do your cleaning in a well-ventilated area, and wear kitchen gloves while you work. Don’t use the solution for other types of gemstones.
You Know How to Clean Jewelry at Home
Now that you’ve learned how to clean jewelry at home, go empty your jewel box. Whether you use a toothbrush, soap and water, or a strong ammonia solution, you can make your jewelry shine.
If you liked this article, read more about jewelry selection and care on our blog.
