Jewelry care: how to clean your expensive jewelry

Designer jewelry can be expensive. Whether you paid for the luxurious materials used or the name of the designer who made it, you’ll definitely want your pieces to be sparkly and looking new even after years of regular use. But having them cleaned by professionals will also surely set you back some money.
Luckily, you can do some jewelry cleaning yourself in the comfort of your own homes and with materials that you may have in your kitchen or cupboards.

Cleaning gold jewelry

To clean your gold pieces, you’ll need warm water, some dishwashing liquid and a toothbrush with soft bristles.

First, you need to make the solution in which you’ll soak your gold jewelry in. To make the solution, add a few drops of the dishwashing liquid (make sure it’s one with a mild formula) into a bowl filled with about two cups of warm water. Soak the jewelry in the solution for more or less 15 minutes. Next, you can scrub each piece with your soft-bristled toothbrush to remove dirt stuck in the piece’s little nooks and crannies. Upon finishing, remove soap residue by soaking the brushed jewelry in a separate bowl of warm water. Finally, dry off the pieces by using a cloth made from soft material so as not to scratch your jewelry.

Cleaning diamonds

Ah, diamonds. Though they’re one of the most coveted precious stones in the world, diamonds are magnets for grease which might affect its shine and brilliance. Diamonds catch grease through frequent contact with fingers and other parts of the skin.

As magnets for grease, diamonds should be cleaned regularly to retain their brilliance. You can do this by soaking your diamond studded jewelry in a water solution with mild dishwashing soap as often as once or twice a week. But you can also consider the frequency in which you wear your jewelry when deciding on a cleaning plan. Like with gold pieces, you can use a soft-bristled toothbrush to scrub off the dirt build up off your diamonds. Remember to scrub very gently so as not to dislodge the stones which could easily happen with vintage jewelry. End with drying them with a soft cloth.

Remember to avoid using harsh chemicals such as bleach and other household cleaners at all costs.

Keep your diamond jewelry in a dry and covered jewelry box to avoid humidity and dirt.
Cleaning silver jewelry

Silver polish may be your go-to cleaner for your silver jewelry. However, know that it can scrub off some silver off of the surface of your jewelry. But don’t worry. There are other ways to keep their shine without dimming their luster in the long run.

The following are the materials you’ll need to safely clean your silver pieces: (a) water, (b) some salt, (c) an aluminum plate or aluminum foil and some (d) water softener powder or baking soda.

First, cover a plate with some aluminum foil if you don’t have an aluminum plate at home. Add in a tablespoon of baking soda (or water softener powder) and a tablespoon of salt. Stir in some warm to hot (not boiling) water onto the mixture to melt the powders. This is where you soak in your silver jewelry.

Save your expensive designer jewelry (and also your money) from losing their shine and luster by doing jewelry cleaning yourself.