How to Clean Jewelry - The Easiest Guide in 2020
Jewelry is precious. For some of us, it's more than just an accessory. It may carry memories or be your favorite possessions. And it looks the prettiest when it's clean and sparkly.
But getting regular jewelry wash from professionals can be costly.
So, why not try home-made techniques to save money and time?
Are you also wondering about how to clean jewelry at home? Read this easy-to-follow and reliable guide for jewelry cleaning and do your jewelry new!
But before exploring the tips of jewelry cleaning, let's explore the common jewelry metals:
Commonly used Metal Types for Jewelry:
- Brass
- Bronze
- Copper
- Gold
- Silver
- Stainless Steel
- etc.
How Metallic Jewelry Get tarnished overtime?
Various reasons can turn metallic jewelry tarnished, dull, and dirty, including;
- Creams and lotions
- Perfumes
- Overflow of water
- The chemical reaction of metals
How to Clean Jewelry - Best Tips
Depending upon the jewelry material, there are specific ways to clean it up, and we will explain accordingly.
How to Clean Brass Jewelry
Brass can be cleaned up easily using the most straightforward home-based techniques as given below;
Warm Water & Soap:
Warm soapy water is so far the best jewelry cleaner for brass jewelry.
Step 1: Mix liquid dish soap with warm water.
Step 2: Rub it with a soft toothbrush or fingers.
Step 3: Rinse and dry the jewelry properly.
Lemon Juice:
Lemon juice has been a cleaner for ages and works wonder for brass jewelry.
Step 1: Squeeze half lemon into a cup of water.
Step 2: Add salt and stir until dissolved completely.
Step 3: Put jewelry into the solution for some time.
Step 4: Wash off and dry thoroughly.
How to Clean Bronze Jewelry
Bronze jewelry defines elegance with royalty. To maintain its charm, follow these simple cleaning techniques.
Vinegar and Salt Mixture:
Salt and flour mixture with vinegar helps cleaning the brass jewelry at its best.
Step 1: Take equal parts of salt and flour.
Step 2: Mix in the vinegar and stir.
Step 3: Rub the mixture on the bronze gently and leave it for about 20 minutes.
Step 4: Wash it out with distilled water and dry.
Baking Soda and Lemon:
Baking soda with lemon is the ultimate winner for cleaning bronze at home.
Step 1: Pour lemon juice over 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda and mix.
Step 2: Cover bronze jewelry with that paste to let the dirt and debris come out.
Step 3: Clean the paste, wash it, and dry properly.
How to Clean Copper Jewelry
Copper jewelry looks extremely elegant and is also easy to clean and maintain. Here's how.
Sprinkle table salt on a lemon:
Lemon is the king of the cleaning market as it cleans enormously.
Step 1: Slice the lemon in half and sprinkle salt on it.
Step 2: Rub on the jewelry gently until it cleans off.
Step 3: Wash off your jewelry and dry it thoroughly.
Ketchup Cleaning:
It may seem odd, but ketchup really cleans off the stubborn dirt and paleness. Here're the steps;
Step 1: Spurt the ketchup on the jewelry covering it entirely.
Step 2: Rub on the ketchup using a cloth piece or fingers.
Step 3:Wash off and pat dry the jewelry piece.
How to Clean Silver Jewelry
Warm Water & Soap:
Warm soapy water is so far the best jewelry cleaner for silver jewelry.Step 1: Add a few drops of liquid dish soap to warm water.
Step 2: Soak jewelry in the solution for 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 3: Use a soft-bristle brush, such as a toothbrush, to clean any crevices.
Step 4: Rinse jewelry in warm water.
Step 5: To dry, gently rub jewelry with a silver cloth or microfiber towel.
Although these techniques benefit a lot when it comes to cleaning the jewelry at home, however, if you find these home-based cleaning techniques demanding, you can consider purchasing an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner or metal polishing solution.
Ultrasonic jewelry cleaner:
Ultrasonic jewelry cleaner is a nice, small electric device that works effectively for cleaning jewelry, watches, eyeglass, and much more. You just have to turn on the device, put in the cleaning solution, and leave the jewelry for the recommended time.
Brasso:
Brasso is multi-purpose metal polish for: brass, copper, stainless steel, chrome, aluminum, pewter, and bronze.
Noxon:
Used for: stainless steel, aluminum, chrome, pewter, brass, bronze, and copper. DO NOT USE on: silver, lacquered, painted or antiqued-finished surfaces.
Silver cleaner and Polish:
Wright's Silver Cleaner and Polish Cream
Weiman Silver Polish and Cleaner
The Takeaway!
Jewelry's real value is in its appearance. Therefore, keeping it clean is essential. If you can invest just a bit of your time in jewelry wash at home, you don't need to spend money on professional services. If you want to save both money and time, you can get an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner or commercially available metal cleaning solution!