DIY: Tips And Tricks On Cleaning Jewelry That Can Be Done From Home

Practicing proper cleaning and maintenance can ensure that your jewelry stays looking beautiful and holds its value. While you can invest time and effort to have your pieces cleaned at the jewelry store, knowing how to clean jewelry at home can help you restore its brilliance without a costly trip to your jeweler.

For most pieces, you can naturally clean jewelry with just a few products that you already have at home. Learn a few practical and cost-efficient ways to clean jewelry at home to help you keep your collection in excellent shape.

Home Cleaning Tips for Jewelry

Cleaning your jewelry at home can be an excellent way to maintain your collection between professional cleanings. Pieces you wear daily need regular cleaning once a week to remove skin oil and built-up grime, helping to preserve their luster. But certain gemstones and precious metals require special care. Learn how to care for each piece in your collection with the following tips.

How to Clean Gold Jewelry

Gold is a popular metal for jewelry, but its soft, malleable surface can become dull over time. Cleaning chemicals, makeup, skin cells and oils often diminish gold jewelry’s original shine. If your gold pieces are alloyed with copper or silver, the items may also corrode, tarnish and appear darker and dimmer than normal.

You can easily clean gold jewelry at home using warm water, mild dish soap, such as Dawn, and a soft-bristled toothbrush. First, soak the ring for 10 minutes in a small bowl filled with lukewarm water and a drop or two of soap. Then, gently scrub away dirt and debris with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Dry the jewelry with a soft polishing cloth in small circular motions to prevent water marks.

For yellow gold, you can add a couple of drops of ammonia to the water for an additional shine, but don’t use ammonia on white gold. Ammonia can damage metals like platinum, which is often used as an alloy in white gold.

Avoid submerging pieces with opals, emeralds, coral wood or bone. These surfaces are porous and can be damaged from soaking in water.

Help maintain your gold jewelry’s natural shine by removing your gold pieces when exercising, swimming in chlorinated pools and showering. Sweat, shampoos, soaps and chlorine can cause your jewelry to lose its shine.

Store your gold jewelry in a cool, dry jewelry box in separate compartments where it won’t scratch against other pieces.

How to Clean Silver Jewelry

Silver jewelry often tarnishes more quickly than other jewelry because it reacts with body oils and sweat. Tarnish is a thin layer of corrosion on the metal’s surface, which causes silver jewelry to appear darker or take on a dull gray hue. Because silver tarnishes so quickly, you’ll want to know how to clean jewelry at home to avoid frequent professional cleaning services.

 To clean sterling silver or silver-plated jewelry, mix a few drops of a gentle dishwashing liquid or baby shampoo into a container with warm water. After soaking the jewelry for five to 10 minutes, use a soft-bristle toothbrush to clean the piece and rinse it in a separate container of warm water.

You can also use a treated polishing cloth to remove debris instead of soaking the piece. After cloth-polishing, you can clean the piece with warm water, baking soda and a few drops of vinegar.

If you have antique silver, which is designed to have a patina, you want to avoid strong cleaners or pressing too hard with a polishing cloth. Try gently cleaning the pieces by hand in a container with warm water and mild dish soap to avoid accidentally rubbing off the polish.

Take care of your silver pieces by storing them in a safe, dry place and avoiding contact with harsh chemicals.

How to Clean Diamond Engagement Rings

An engagement ring is likely one of your most expensive jewelry pieces. According to the 2021 BriteCo™ survey, the median engagement ring purchase was $3,250, with many respondents spending over $10,000. So to keep it sparkling, you’ll need to know the best way to clean jewelry with diamonds.

Diamonds are a 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, which means they aren’t likely to chip or crack. But oil and debris can build up on the diamond’s surface and cause it to lose its shine or irritate your skin.

 To clean your diamond engagement ring, mix several drops of dish soap and a couple of drops of ammonia into a container with warm water and let your ring soak for up to 40 minutes. Gently scrub with a toothbrush, and if the debris doesn’t come off, soak the ring again. Allow the ring to air dry because paper towels or other drying methods can damage the ring.

After it has dried, use a polishing cloth to remove watermarks. Because polishing cloths are treated with solution, they won’t scratch or damage jewelry. Avoid baking soda, toothpaste or powdered cleaners.

Try to clean your engagement ring at home twice per month and consider a professional cleaning once every six months to maintain the ring’s natural shine.

How to Clean Rubies and Sapphires

Rubies and sapphires are durable gemstones made of corundum and require the same cleaning process. While these stones can’t be easily scratched, debris still builds up on the gem’s surface.

For pieces you wear daily, such as rings or necklaces, opt for monthly cleaning. Other pieces that don’t come in contact with your skin daily, such as broaches, can be cleaned every three to four months.

Before cleaning your sapphire or ruby jewelry, make sure the gemstone isn’t loose in its setting. Then, soak it in a container with warm water, dish soap and ammonia for 30 minutes.

Scrub away dirt with a toothbrush and let the gems air dry completely before removing watermarks with a lint-free polishing cloth.

How to Clean Pearl and Opal Jewelry

Pearl and opal jewelry pieces can be vulnerable to damage, so it’s important to know what you can clean it with safely at home.

Most gems are formed from heat and pressure under the earth’s surface, but pearls are found in oysters and clams. Opals are found in the earth’s crust but are unique because they can come in all visible colors.

Pearls have a soft surface that can be easily damaged, so avoid contact with perfumes, hairspray and cleaners. Opals are only a 5.5 on the Mohs Hardness scale, which makes them easier to damage than many other gemstones.

 To clean pearls and opals, use a solution of warm water and mild dish soap. Instead of soaking the piece, use the solution to dampen a soft cloth and gently wipe the jewelry. Use a cotton swab to clean dirt off areas that are hard to reach, and after wiping the piece with a cloth dampened with fresh water, allow it to air dry on a microfiber cloth.

Consider having your pieces professionally cleaned once a year, and you should clean your pearl and opal jewelry at home every couple of months, depending on how frequently it is worn.

How to Clean Emerald Jewelry

Emeralds are a popular softer gemstone, with a rating of 7.5 on the Mohs Hardness scale, making them more susceptible to chipping. It’s important to be cautious when you clean jewelry at home, especially when handling soft gemstones.

 To clean emeralds, create a solution with a small amount of dish soap and warm water. Don’t expose emeralds to hot water — heat can dry out fracture fillings and strip the emerald of its surface oils. This puts the gem at risk of damage that can affect its clarity and color.

Use a soft-bristled baby toothbrush to gently scrub the jewelry and allow it to air dry. Don’t soak emerald jewelry, and avoid any abrasive cleaners.

To take care of your emerald jewelry, avoid wearing it while showering or swimming, and store it in a moisture-free place. Hot or damp locations like bathrooms without proper ventilation can damage your emerald jewelry over time. Store emerald jewelry separately from your other pieces to avoid scratching or chipping its surface.

How to Clean Platinum Jewelry

Platinum is a silver-white metal known for its impeccable shine and malleable but dense chemical structure. Platinum is resistant to tarnishing, but harder substances can scratch it. With proper care and maintenance, platinum pieces can last a lifetime.

Over time, platinum pieces like rings and earrings develop a natural patina, a slight loss in luster that can give your jewelry piece a satiny or slightly frosted finish. Some people prefer this vintage look and polish their platinum jewelry less to retain the finish. But if you prefer the original shiny appearance of your platinum jewelry, you can remove the patina by cleaning jewelry naturally at home.

Add dish soap and two drops of ammonia to warm water. Let the piece soak for up to 10 minutes, depending on how much debris was built up.

Then, use a soft-bristled toothbrush to scrub the jewelry and carefully clean around the clasps and gemstone settings. Blot the piece to remove excess water and allow it to air dry on a cloth. Use a polishing cloth to remove watermarks and restore the natural shine of the piece.

How to Clean Copper Jewelry

Copper jewelry has a deep red-brown color and is a popular, affordable metal used to make many jewelry pieces. With proper care, copper jewelry can last for many generations. But without cleaning, pure copper can change color to a deeper brown and eventually turn green.

Unlike other jewelry, you can use an acidic solution made from common household products to clean tarnished copper. There are two options to clean your copper jewelry, one using salt and the other using baking soda.

Start by wetting your copper jewelry and sprinkling it with salt. Dampen a cloth with lemon juice and rub the piece to remove the tarnish. Rinse the piece with water and dry.

You can also make a paste out of lemon juice and baking soda. Use equal parts of each ingredient and scrub the piece with a toothbrush. Rinse off the paste after you clean it.

If your copper jewelry has a gemstone, avoid getting the acidic solution on the gemstone because it can become damaged. Try cleaning around the gemstone; if needed, you can take it to a professional cleaner to avoid damage.

Clean the pieces you wear frequently every two months to preserve their shine. It will be a while for some copper pieces before you notice any tarnish, but be careful when polishing since overpolishing can remove some of the lacquer finish.

To maintain copper pieces, keep them in an airtight container and away from moisture. You can use a plastic resealable storage bag or a small container. Clean copper pieces regularly to keep their natural shine and help them last for years.

Protect Your Fine Jewelry With Regular Maintenance and Insurance

Proper cleaning and care can help protect your pieces so they are ready to wear for any occasion. Safeguarding your valuable and sentimental jewelry with insurance is a key part of its maintenance. Find out how much you can save on jewelry insurance by answering a few simple questions and getting an instant quote.

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