How To Spruce Up And Clean Your Jewelry At Home
/Just like that one closet in the guest room you keep meaning to organize, cleaning your jewelry might not be the first thing on your to-do list, but caring for your jewelry is an imperative practice to make a habit out of if you want to maintain its shine and sparkle! How often you should clean your jewelry depends on how often you wear it, so as long as you know how to store your jewelry properly, you can get away with cleaning the pieces you wear less often about once every 6 months. That being said, you should clean everyday jewelry, like your wedding and engagement rings, once a week, and have them professionally cleaned about twice a year.
Lucky for you, South Hills Jewelers offers free cleaning to anyone while they shop—any piece of jewelry, whether you bought it from us or not doesn’t matter. We also have a Lifetime Care Package available which includes ring sizing, refinishing and polishing, earring repair, resetting diamonds and gemstones, and more. Learn more here.
Whether you’ve been wearing your rings for so long that you forget they’re there, or you’re preparing to show off your new engagement ring over the holidays, we know the best ways to clean jewelry at home. Here are helpful tips to keep your pieces, no matter what metals or stones, in tip-top shape all year round.
For Precious Metal and Stone Jewelry You Wear Daily…
Don’t fret if you’ve been married for 5 years and are just reading this now, but daily-wear jewelry (especially rings) should be given at least a weekly cleaning. So how to clean your wedding ring at home, you ask? Use lukewarm water and mild dish soap to soak your jewelry, then using a soft-bristled toothbrush to reach crevices, lightly scrub. Rinse in a bowl of lukewarm water and try with a soft, lint-free towel. This method should be safe for most metals and stones commonly found in wedding and engagement rings.
.Cleaning Diamonds...
Alka-Seltzer! Alka Seltzer is said to be a great cleaner for diamonds and other hard stones. All you need to do place your jewelry in a small glass with water, drop a tablet or two of Alka-Seltzer depending on how much water and jewelry you’re cleaning, and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Remove the jewelry, gently brush with a soft-bristled toothbrush, dry off, and you’re good to go! (This will also remove residue from silver and gold bands.) For more tips on caring for your diamonds, click here.
For Pearls…
Pearls are quite porous and chemicals can cause abrasion to their surfaces, so try to steer clear of as many chemicals as possible. If you’re just looking to give them a quick shine, a damp cloth will do the trick. If your pearls seem to have acquired a stain, dip a towel in a very mild soap mixed with lukewarm water. NEVER soak a pearl necklace or bracelet in water, as it will weaken the string holding them together!
Pro Tip: Detergent is also abrasive to faux pearls, follow the same instructions as above.
To How Clean Gold...
If you have a lot of gold jewelry and are exhausted just thinking about cleaning it all, here’s a perfect hack to get some friends to help--tell them they can drink your cleaning supply! What is that you ask? Beer! This hack is as simple as dropping your jewelry in a small amount of beer for a few seconds and wiping it off. Don’t believe us? See for yourself:
Or Silver, Brass, and Copper…
If you thought Beer was an odd remedy, just wait for this one: Ketchup. Yes, we know how precious our beloved Heinz Ketchup is too all Pittsburghers, but this hack is worth giving up a bit of it. (Or just grab some packets from a fast food joint!). Check out the tutorial above.
For Other Metal Jewelry…
Try using toothpaste to polish silver, brass, and other similar metals to keep your jewelry looking shiny. Squeeze a bit of that teeth cleaner directly on to the piece, on a washcloth, or even a soft-bristled toothbrush if you have a lot of nooks and crannies to tackle. This is the perfect way to remove tarnish from your every day rings. Once clean, rinse with lukewarm water and dry with a clean towel. Voila!
For Costume Jewelry...
Again, steer clear of detergent! Or really any moisture at all. Because the construction materials for costume jewelry are usually unknown and less high-quality (i.e. glue instead of metal to hold stones in place), any kind of moisture has the potential to weaken the integrity of the piece.
Not The DIY Jewelry Cleaner Type?
We love using these at-home solutions but you can also buy products like Connoisseurs® Precious Jewelry Cleaner to leave on your dresser or nightstand. This will be a gentle reminder to keep up your cleaning regimen and save you some time and energy.
Final Pro Tip...
Don’t hold your jewelry under running water! We’ve all seen sitcom plotlines involving a ring being dropped down a drain--don’t be one of those people!
Now that you know how to maintain your jewelry between professional cleanings, we recommend you start your maintenance routine with a clean slate, literally, and we’re happy to help. Stop by during business hours for a free cleaning and check out our newest jewelry. While you shop, we’ll ensure that both you and your jewelry have a shiny and bright day!