How to Clean Jewelry

1. Unlike silver, .....

2. Use mild liquid .....

Put a few drops of liquid dish detergent in a bowl of warm water

3. Mix gently. Though ordinary tap water will work fine, for even better results, you can use sodiumfree seltzer water or club soda. The carbonation in these liquids can help loosen accumulated dirt and debris. Dont use hot or boiling water, especially if your jewelry contains fragile precious stones. Some precious stones, like opals, can crack if subjected to rapid and drastic temperature changes. .....

Soak the gold jewelry in the solution

4. Allow the jewelry to sit in the water for about 15 minutes. As it soaks, warm soapy water will work its way into the cracks and crevices, loosening hardtoreach buildups of dirt. .....

Gently scrub the jewelry with a soft bristle

5. Scrub each piece of jewelry individually, paying special attention to nooks and crannies where dirt may be hidden. Use a very soft brush the softer the better. Stiff bristles can scratch the surface of your jewelry. If your jewelry is goldplated (as opposed to solid gold), especially stiff bristles can even remove the gold layer entirely! Special brushes designed for this purpose are best, but most small, soft brushes (like, for instance, eyebro .....

Rinse each piece in warm running water

6. A good rinsing will help remove lingering dirt thats been loosened by the action of your brush. Again, make sure the water isnt hot , especially if your jewelry contains fragile stones. If youre rinsing your jewelry in a sink, plug or cover the drain so that you dont accidentally lose your jewelry if it slips out of your hands. Alternatively, rinse your jewelry in a pasta strainer or metal coffee filter. .....

Blot dry with a soft cloth

7. Then, let the jewelry sit out on a towel to air dry completely before wearing it again. If your jewelry is still wet, wearing it can trap moisture against your skin, leading to minor skin irritation. .....

Cleaning Jewelry with Ammonia

8. Some of the most precious possessions enjoyed by both men and women include fine jewelry pieces. Whether your favorite piece of jewelry is a family heirloom you rarely wear, or your diamond wedding ring that never comes off, taking regular care and cleaning your jewelry keeps it looking great. Ammonia is a great and safe cleaning agent, that when used properly, can keep your jewelry looking new. .....

Know when to clean with ammonia

9. Ammonia is a powerful cleaner, but, chemically, it can be somewhat caustic. Avoid doing using ammonia to clean gold jewelry too often to prevent wear on your jewelry ammonia is a good candidate for occasional (but not frequent) deep cleans. Ammonia can damage certain materials often used in jewelry. Dont use ammonia when cleaning gold jewelry pieces that contain platinum or pearls. .....

Add one part

10. Add one part .....

Soak the jewelry in the mixture for no more than one minute

11. Dont let jewelry sit in the ammonia mixture for too long as a strong base, ammonia can be slightly corrosive. To quickly remove all of the jewelry at once, use a kitchen strainer like you might use when cooking pasta. Either fish the jewelry out with a handheld strainer or upend the bowl into a larger strainer in the sink. .....

Rinse the jewelry thoroughly under running water

12. Plug or cover the drain of the sink to prevent losing any precious jewelry that slips out of your hand. Alternatively, simply use the strainer you used to get your jewelry out of the ammonia. .....

Gently dry the jewelry with a soft polishing cloth

13. Allow jewelry to air dry on a towel completely before wearing it. .....

Cleaning Jewelry with Glued In Gemstones

14. Strong .....

Know which types of jewelry should be kept dry

15. Pieces of jewelry withgemstones .....

Wipe the jewelry with a wet soapy cloth

16. .....

Rinse the jewelry with a cloth dampened with plain water

17. Gently dab a wet cloth onto the jewelry, taking care to soak up any leftover soap suds. .....

Lay or hang the pieces upside down after cleaning

18. .....

Cleaning Jewelry with Toothpaste

19. How to Use .....

Mix a small quantity of toothpaste and water

20. Squeeze about an inch of toothpaste into a bowl (or your palm!) and mix with a tablespoon or two of water to make a light paste. As a mild abrasive, toothpaste is good for loosening up grime thats accumulated on your favorite pieces of gold jewelry without scratching the jewelry. You can use this method for frequentlyworn gold items that need a quick clean or when you dont have access to other cleaning materials (like when youre traveling.) .....

Scrub with a soft bristled toothbrush

21. Use an old, softbristled toothbrush and toothpaste to gently scrub off grime. The toothpaste can be applied to a cloth to hand polish an item as well. If youre seeing scratches on your jewelry, its probably the toothbrush, not the toothpaste use as soft of brush as possible. Alternatively, simply scrub with undiluted toothpaste. This, however, can be harder to rinse out of small crevices in your jewelry. .....

Rinse generously in clean water

22. Just like when you rinse after brushing your teeth, you should rinse your jewelry to remove any loosened dirt or grime .....

Using Boiling Water

23. Carefully pour the water over your .....

Know when boiling is appropriate

24. Gold itself can be boiled with no problems. However, boiling delicate gemstones (like opals, pearls, coral, and moonstones) can cause them to crack or become damaged especially if the jewelry is cold before boiling. Boiling is also a bad idea for jewelry with gluedin gemstones, as it can loosen the glue. However, if youre looking to clean heavilysoiled jewelry made entirely out of gold or gold jewelry that contains strong gemstones (like diamond .....

Bring water to a boil

25. You dont need to boil much water just enough to submerge all of the jewelry in. As youre waiting for the water to boil, set your gold jewelry in a sturdy bowl or another vessel that wont be damaged by boiling water. Pyrex or metal cooking bowls/dishes are good choices. Arrange jewelry in the dish or bowl so that no piece of jewelry is covering up another piece water should be able to reach every piece of jewelry. .....

Carefully pour the water over your jewelry

26. Be very careful not to spill or splash by pouring too rapidly boiling water can cause serious burns. When all of the jewelry is completely submerged, youve added enough water. .....

Wait for the water to cool

27. When you can comfortably put your hands in the water, you can remove the jewelry. Follow a good boiling by scrubbing each piece of jewelry with a soft brush, then dabbing it dry with a soft towel and allowing it to sit and airdry completely. Dont be afraid if the water appears dirty this is good! As boiling water loosens the dirt, wax, grime, etc. thats built up on your jewelry, it may float to the surface of the water. The dirtier your water l .....

Alka Seltzer

28. Drop your dulllooking jewelry in a glass of fizzing AlkaSeltzer for a couple of minutes. It will sparkle and shine when you pull it out. .....

Aluminum Foil

29. To clean your jewelry, simply line a small bowl with aluminum foil. Fill the bowl with hot water and mix in one tablespoon of bleachfree powdered laundry detergent (not liquid), like Tide. Put the jewelry in the solution and let it soak for one minute. Rinse well and airdry. This procedure makes use of the chemical process known as ion exchange, which can also be used to clean silverware. .....

Ammonia

30. Brighten up your gold and silver trinkets by soaking them for 10 minutes in a solution of 1/2 cup clear ammonia mixed in 1 cup warm water. Gently wipe clean with a soft cloth and let dry. Note: Do not do this with jewelry containing pearls, because it could dull or damage their delicate surface. .....

Baking Soda

31. To remove builtup tarnish from your silver, make a thick paste with 1/4 cup baking soda and 2 tablespoons water. Apply with a damp sponge and gently rub, rinse, and buff dry. To polish gold jewelry, cover with a light coating of baking soda, pour a bit of vinegar over it, and rinse clean. .....

Club Soda

32. Soak your diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds in club soda to give them a bright sheen. Simply place them in a glass full of club soda and let them soak overnight. .....

Denture Tablets

33. Has your diamond ring lost its sparkle? Drop a denture tablet into a glass containing a cup of water. Follow that with your ring or diamond earrings. Let it sit for a few minutes. Remove your jewelry and rinse to reveal the old sparkle and shine. .....

Ketchup

34. Let ketchup do the work of shining tarnished silver. If your ring, bracelet, or earring has a smooth surface, dunk it in a small bowl of ketchup for a few minutes. If it has a tooled or detailed surface, use an old toothbrush to work ketchup into the crevices. To avoid damaging the silver, don .....

Toothpaste

35. Put a little toothpaste on an old toothbrush and use it to make your diamond ring sparkle instead of your teeth. Clean off the residue with a damp cloth. .....

Vinegar

36. Make your silverware as well as your pure silver bracelets, rings, and other jewelry shine like new by soaking them in a mixture of 1/2 cup white vinegar and 2 tablespoons baking soda for two to three hours. Rinse them under cold water and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth. .....

37. Tarnish is the enemy, and here are your weapons: For items that are merely dull, filmy, or starting to discolor, mix a few drops of mild dish soap with warm water, and dip in a soft cloth. Rub the jewelry, then rinse in cool water and buff with a cloth until dry. For heavier tarnish, mix a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water. Wet the silver and apply the cleaner with a soft, lintfree cloth (not paper towels, which can scratch). Wor .....

Brighten gold and gems

38. Ever look under your ring? Lotion, soaps, and everyday dirt can clog the prongs, making stones appear facetless and flat. Even gold chains and pendants can get gunked up through everyday wear. Give gold a bubble bath by pouring a few drops of mild dish soap into a small bowl of sodiumfree seltzer water or club soda (in Good Housekeeping Research Institute tests, the carbonation loosened soil and removed debris). Put the jewelry into a small strai .....

Freshen your pearls

39. Because theyre so porous, pearls can easily lose their luster. Whether real, cultured, or faux, they must be cleaned with care. First lay the strand on a soft cloth. Dip a clean, small makeup brush into a mixture of warm water and a little shampoo, and go over each pearl. To finish, rinse the pearls with a clean, wellwrung damp cloth. Let the strand dry flat to prevent the string from stretching. This nosoak treatment is also good for turquoise, .....

Antacid

40. The fizzing power that works to soothe your stomach can also clean your jewelry. Drop two antacid tablets into a glass of warm water, followed by your baubles. Let sit for about two minutes in the effervescent solution, then remove and rinse. .....

Protect Diamond Rings from Chlorine

41. You might already protect your hands from harsh chemicals, but if you dont, think about how chemicals such as chlorine can affect your fine jewelry. Remove your rings or wear gloves to protect all types of rings. .....