How to Sanitize Earrings With White Vinegar

All jewelry gets dirty over time, and it seems that earrings have a unique talent for getting especially filthy. In addition to visible dirt and grime, your earrings could be collecting a fair amount of bacteria over multiple uses. Vinegar makes an excellent cleaner for jewelry, because it breaks down dirt and grime in addition to acting as an antibacterial sanitizer. If you want to clean and sanitize your earrings at the same time, white vinegar is an excellent choice.

Things You'll Need

• ½ cup white vinegar
• Plastic cup
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• Spoon
• Clean cloth

Instructions

1. Pour 1/2 cup of white vinegar into a clean plastic cup.

2. Mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda into the vinegar and stir the mixture with a spoon.

3. Drop your earrings into the mix and leave them to soak for two hours.

4. Remove the earrings and rinse them in clean water for 20 seconds or so. Wipe them clean with a dry, soft cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• Vinegar is a good choice for cleaning and disinfecting silver, but gold and gemstone jewelry may require different cleaning solvents. It is always best to check with a jewelry expert to determine the safest method for cleaning your cherished items.

• Vinegar will damage silver earrings if they are left in the solvent too long. Never leave your silver jewelry in a vinegar solution for more than a couple of hours.

References

• The New Home Maker: Vinegar: (Almost) the Only Cleaner You'll Ever Need
• "Reader’s Digest": 150+ Household Uses for Vinegar
• Care 2: Vinegar Kills Bacteria, Mold and Germs