You may be feeling like your jewelry has lost its bright, dazzling appearance since it first became yours. Fear not– it’s likely that it just needs a good cleaning! Lotions, beauty products, cooking ingredients and dirt from everyday life could be wreaking havoc on the appearance of your jewelry. Many jewelry stores offer complimentary professional cleanings that can take as little as 5 minutes. It is important to have your jewelry checked and cleaned once a year or so to ensure that all of your prongs are in good condition and that your stones are not at risk of falling out. However, it is just as important to clean your jewelry at home on a regular basis! Here are some reasons to stay consistent with your at home cleaning routine:
- Your jewelry will be so much more beautiful and sparkly. Even a thin film on the underside of your gemstones can interfere with the sparkle of the stone, making it appear dull and hazy.
- Cleaning your jewelry gives you a chance to inspect it more closely. Dirt trapped in your jewelry may mask the appearance of stones that are at risk of falling out or cracks in the metal.
- Dirt and bacteria caught under settings could cause your finger to break out into a rash. I have helped a handful of clients who thought they’d developed an allergy to the metal in their ring because their finger would get red and itchy when they’d wear it. Upon closer inspection and a thorough deep cleaning, the issue was resolved in most cases! (gross but true).
- Just like most things in life, regular upkeep prevents it all from building up and becoming a more grueling task than it needs to be later on.
Have I convinced you to clean your jewelry on the reg? If so, keep reading to learn exactly how to keep your jewelry in pristine condition and appearance!
Gold/Platinum + Gemstone Jewelry:
Add warm/hot water and a squirt of mild dish soap to your bowl. (Never use a harsh chemical in your mixture like bleach, acetone or chlorine). Stir up the mixture and let your jewelry soak from anywhere between 20 minutes to a couple hours to help loosen up the compacted dirt. After the soak, take a soft bristled toothbrush and gently scrub your jewelry. It is especially important to scrub underneath all of the settings making sure you are getting the bristles up into the small holes. Rinse with warm water and you should notice right away how much sparklier your piece has become! Note: Do not soak soft/porous gemstones such as opals, turquoise and pearls.
Sterling Silver Jewelry:
If you’re not wearing your silver pieces on a daily basis, chances are they will start to tarnish over time. To get your dull, gray jewelry back to its original bright white shine, only two ingredients are needed! Mix baking soda with warm water until it is of a paste consistency. You can use your fingers to rub this paste onto your silver as well as a toothbrush to get into any small crevices.
Pro tip: Once your silver is tarnish free, you can store each piece in separate pouches or plastic bags. This prevents the silver from being in contact with oxygen, which will slow the development of tarnish.
I firmly believe that once you start consistently cleaning your jewelry, you will never be able to go back to your old ways. Clean jewelry is the best way to enjoy it each time you wear it!