Jewelry makes us feel good, it adds to every outfit, and it’s, simply put, shiny and pretty. As the famous poet Gucci Mane once said, “So much ice make ya eye sight blurry / Jewelry, have on too much jewelry / Neva too much, neva too much.”
But if you don’t take proper care of your jewelry, it won’t look like the “ice” Mr. Mane refers to as much as it will look like something you picked up in your grandmother’s attic or in a consignment shop. In order to keep your gold golden and your diamonds sparkling, keep reading.
We’re going to teach you how to clean your jewelry properly so all your favorite pieces will last a long time and look super shiny throughout its lifetime.
Preventative Measures
There are some basic jewelry practices you can implement in order to prevent fading, scratches, and other wear and tear.
Sunlight
First of all, store your jewelry out of direct sunlight. Sunlight can damage gemstones, cause them to fade, and result in an overall loss of color. We suggest keeping jewelry in storage boxes in order to keep them from sunlight exposure.
However, we understand that you might want to display your favorite pieces. In that case, just make sure they’re not near a window or other direct sunlight sources.
Scratch Resistant Stones
Scratches are something that you have to accept as a possibility with almost all jewelry. Unless you never wear the piece (which defeats the purpose of owning the jewelry, doesn’t it?), scratches are inevitable.
Unless you choose to create a collection of scratch-resistant jewelry. This collection of rings, for example, are made with eco-friendly and scratch-resistant diamond rings.
There are also certain treatments and coatings on metals and gemstones that can make them resistant (or at least less prone to) scratches. Be sure to ask your jeweler about any treatments done on your jewelry, though, because that can affect how you clean it.
Avoid Contact with Chemicals
This might sound obvious to most of us: of course, you’re going to avoid contact with bleach, ammonia, and other harsh chemicals while wearing your jewelry.
But what people forget is that these and other harsh chemicals are found in everyday cleaning products, shampoos, lotions, perfumes, hairspray, etc. These chemicals can cause rusting, color fading, dulling, and general damage to your jewelry.
To avoid this, remember to put on your jewelry last when you’re getting ready to avoid any contact with lotion, hairspray, makeup, etc. Also, take your jewelry off before you do any household cleaning.
Now that you know what to do to prevent damage, let’s look at how you can clean and take care of your jewelry if it does manage to get dirty or dull.
Gold and Silver Jewelry
To get rid of any tarnish or grime that’s accumulated on your gold and silver jewelry, make a gentle cleaner at home instead of going for harsh chemical cleaners. All you need is some warm water, dish soap, a few drops of ammonia, and a cleaning cloth.
For the cleaning cloth, it’s best to use a jewelry-specific option to avoid any lint, debris, or particles rubbing off on the jewelry.
In a small bowl, combine the water, a few drops ammonia, and a few drops of the dish soap and mix until slightly sudsy. Add in your jewelry and let it soak in the water for 2-3 minutes before drying and polishing with the cloth.
It’s important to note here that this method should be done for pure gold and silver jewelry. Don’t let the jewelry soak like this if there are other metals, gemstones, etc also on the piece.
If there is another metal or a gemstone on your gold/silver jewelry, take the cloth and dip it into the solution before using that to wipe down the gold/silver parts of the piece.
Pearls and Soft Gemstones
Pearls and other soft gemstones (turquoise, opals, lapis, ivory, amber, etc) need to be treated gently during cleaning because they’re sensitive to almost all cleaning methods, including to water.
That being said, you should only attempt to clean these types of stones if they’re very dirty.
Never submerge these stones in water. They’ll absorb the water and become permanently damaged.
Instead, get a bowl of cold water and mild dish soap. Using a soft-bristled toothbrush or makeup brush, dip into the water and gently clean your jewelry.
Diamonds
Unlike pearls and other soft gemstones, diamonds are tough. They’re one of the strongest materials in the world, which means they’re able to handle tougher cleaning solutions, which makes them easier to clean.
Simply fill a dish with warm/hot water and some dish soap. Throw your diamond pieces into this solution for a good half an hour.
Then, take a new toothbrush, dip it into your solution, and brush your diamonds clean, getting rid of any dirt or build-up. Dry with a jewelry cloth.
Hard Gemstones
When it comes to hard gemstones besides diamonds (emerald, topaz, ruby, sapphire, etc), each gemstone is going to have a particular cleaning method. This is because of their different chemical makeups, different gemstone treatments they undergo, etc.
In the end, it’s best to have these gems cleaned by a professional. If you want to try at home, use a gentle and simple cleaning method instead of a gem-specific solution. You don’t want to damage your favorite ring or necklace because you use the wrong chemical solution.
As with many of the other jewelry types on this list, use cool water and a few drops of dish soap. Add your jewelry to the solution for no more than 5 minutes before wiping clean with a cloth or gently brushing with a toothbrush.
In order to avoid streaking, finish off by rinsing with a stream of water.
How to Clean Your Jewelry Safely: Final Thoughts
Keeping your jewelry shiny and beautiful starts with the jeweler, but ends with you. Knowing how to clean your jewelry without damaging it ensures you’ll get years of use out of your favorite pieces. Want your look to match your jewelry? Check out this article on how to get perfect rose gold hair.