How to Clean Your Jewelry

Jewelry Cleaning 101

Our prized possessions tend to be found in pieces of jewelry. Whether it’s a wedding ring or a locket that a loved one gave to you, these items are commonly never removed. From washing the dishes to taking a bubble bath, rings, necklaces, and bracelets stay on hand.

As sentimental as you may feel about your treasured heirlooms, years of wear and tear can take a toll on what you hold dear. Factors such as dust, debris, and liquids can cause it to lose its original radiance and shine. Keeping your jewelry well maintained and properly cleaned is the key to ensuring your jewelry stays just as lovely as it was on the day you received it.

While it is recommended to have your jewelry serviced by a qualified professional, sometimes, you don’t have the time or the finances to have your jewelry professionally maintained. In that event, there are solutions that can be performed in the convenience and comfort of your own home.

Silver Cleaning

Diamonds and silver chains can often lose their stunning appearance over the course of time.  Luckily, a toothbrush and toothpaste can help to restore your jewels to like-new condition. You’ll want to apply just a dab of white toothpaste to your piece and carefully rub it into the chain or the ring with a soft toothbrush. Your finger will also work nicely! There’s no need to get too rough with your jewelry. All it needs a little tender love and care.

Gold Cleaning

Gold can be easily cleaned with just a few drops of dish soap into a bowl of warm water. Large pieces can be placed directly into the bowl, while smaller items should go into a strainer for safety purposes. You wouldn’t want your smaller jewels to get lost or damaged. Once you’ve dipped them and rotated them in the water, remove them and lay them out on a soft towel to dry. You can perform a more detailed clean of the crevices with a toothbrush (as mentioned above).

DIY Risks

If you really want to give your jewelry a professional’s touch without leaving your home, purchasing an ultrasonic jewelry cleaning machine makes a great investment. Though cleaning your jewelry at home may seem quick and easy, you also run the risk of unforeseen mishaps.

For instance, while shinning your beautiful tennis bracelet over the sink, it may slip from your hands and right down the drain. That’s a plumbing bill you didn’t ask for!

Instead of taking that chance, it’s important to be extremely careful when making the choice to clean your jewelry at home. Your materials should not leave your sight and your jewelry should be handled with care. In addition, rubbing jewelry with liquids and other cleaners too often can lead to damage as well.

What to Avoid

When cleaning jewelry on your own, try to avoid using chemicals that could do more harm to your jewelry than good. Abrasives like chlorine bleach can damage materials such as gold and diamonds. While toothpaste is great for chains and wedding bands, it should not be used on diamonds. The chemical compounds within it can cause a diamond to become scratched or damaged.

Professional Servicing

In the long run, we recommend that you take your jewelry to be serviced periodically. Six months is standard for ensuring that your jewelry stays vibrant and clean. If you wear your jewelry often, as in the case of a diamond engagement ring, you’ll want to have it cleaned more often to remove hidden bacteria and to keep the diamond from losing its luster.

When taking your jewelry in to be serviced, make sure to do your research. Does the jeweler understand how to care for your particular piece of jewelry? This is critical when dealing with antique pieces. You wouldn’t want a jeweler with little knowledge of antiques handling your great mother’s wedding ring or pearl necklace.

You’ll want to ensure that your jewelry professional is reputable. Checking your professionals’ reviews will also help you to make an informed decision. This way you’ll be able to gauge if this jewelry service professional has an overall track record of success. When you feel good about your jewelry professionals’ knowledge and reputation, you can rest easy knowing that your jewelry will be cleaned with care and the use of proper cleaning methods.

Summary 

As much as we love our precious pieces of jewelry and can’t bear the thought of taking them off, seeing to the care and service of your jewelry is also important. Whether you wear your jewelry every single day or only on special occasions, it’s necessary to keep your ring bands free from debris and your bracelets shinning. The natural oils from your fingers can get into jewelry making it a magnet for bacteria and other harmful residue so keeping them clean is paramount. Luckily, you can use an ultrasonic jewelry cleaning machine or liquid cleaners from the comfort of your own home.

In some cases, all it takes is a simple swipe with a toothbrush or a swirl in a bowl of warm water. However, if you’ve got precious and valuable jewelry, taking it to be serviced by a professional jeweler is a must! Frequently worn jewelry should be serviced in six-month increments while less worn jewelry can be taken in once a year and wiped with a damp cloth from time to time. By following these simple tips, your jewelry is sure to last!

About the Author

Vasco Assets Inc. is a privately held international investment firm located in Newport Beach, California. Vasco Assets has over 35 years of industry expertise from investing, lending, buying and selling of luxury items to collaborating with charities in developing custom offerings and much more. At Vasco Assets, we create and cultivate long-term, multi-generational relationships with our clients.

Vasco Assets’ diversification in the global economy helps maintain our position as an independent international institution that is not subject to the fluctuations in the market conditions. In recent years, we’ve been making significant investments in our patent-pending technological platform and applying them to lending, investments, and fostering our client relationships.