Jewelry Cleaning - Tips & Tricks

I'm often asked by customers how to properly care for and clean their jewelry (whether it's a piece by me, or something they've had for awhile). 

First and foremost, store all jewelry in a cool, dry place when you are not wearing it. I recommend a soft pouch, a ziplock bag, or a jewelry organizer in a drawer. Try to avoid wearing jewelry to bed, to the gym, in the shower, while cleaning, when applying perfume, lotion, or hairspray, or in the pool - all of these activities can damage metal and gemstones, and have it looking dull pretty quickly. 

For cleaning specific metals and stones, here's a few tips for getting your jewelry looking brand new again!

14K Gold Fill

14K goldfill will not tarnish, but it can get dull and darken. If you see this happening, take the piece scrub it lightly with a clean, soft toothbrush and a mild dish soap. Rinse well, and let the piece dry by laying it on a clean towel. Make sure the piece completely dry before storing.

Sterling Silver

Since sterling silver is a very soft metal, it scratches easily and is also prone to tarnishing. Here's a few tips for getting it back to new:

• For items that are looking dull, dip a soft cloth or towel into a mixture of warm water and mild dish soap. Rub the jewelry with it, then rinse and buff with a polishing cloth. 
• For a heavier tarnish, you can use a polish that is specifically made to remove tarnish for silver jewelry. If you don't have an availably, you can mix a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water. Apply the cleaner to wet jewelry with a soft cloth. Work the paste into the piece, then rinse off and buff with a polishing cloth. 
• Make sure not to soak silver, as this can make the tarnishing worse
• Do not use paper towels when cleaning silver, as they can scratch.

Diamonds

Create a mixture of one part warm water to one part windex, and soak the ring in it for several minutes (please note this solution should only be used on diamonds with a platinum setting). With a clean, soft toothbrush, brush the ring, removing any dirt or debris that has settled. Rinse the piece in warm water and dry with a cloth.

14K Gold

take the piece scrub it lightly with a clean, soft toothbrush and a mild dish soap. Rinse well, and let the piece dry by laying it on a clean towel. Make sure the piece completely dry before storing. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasives to clean your jewelry, as this can cause scratches and reduce the piece's luster.

Sometimes, a piece needs to be professionally cleaning. If you need anything polished or repaired, feel free to drop me a line!