How to Clean Jewelry

Before cleaning your jewelry, examine it carefully to make sure that all settings, clasps and prongs are secure. Once you've done that, you're ready to proceed.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Mild Dish Detergents
• Nonabrasive Jewelry Cleaners
• Nonabrasive Silver Polishes
• Soft Dry Cloth
• soft, lint-free cloths

Gold, Platinum and Gemstones

1. Use a nonabrasive jewelry cleaner, which you can purchase at a local jewelry store. Or use a cleaning solution of mild dish soap and water.

2. Dip the jewelry in the cleaner or cleaning solution.

3. Rinse in warm running water.

4. Buff dry with a soft, lint-free cloth until it's shiny.

Silver

5. Clean the silver with a nonabrasive silver polish.

6. Apply the polish with a soft cloth, gently working it into stains.

7. Wipe away excess polish and buff the jewelry with a soft, lint-free cloth until it's shiny.

8. Keep in mind that frequently wearing silver jewelry can keep it from becoming tarnished.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use jewelry cleaner on pearls and porous stones, such as emeralds, rubies, lapis lazuli, coral and turquoise. Wipe them clean with a soft, damp cloth or have them cleaned professionally. Consult a jeweler when in doubt about a particular stone.
• Exposure to perfume, cosmetics or perspiration can stain gemstones.

[christyadams]

on 8/17/2009 I found a great polishing cloth, I use all the time for my silver jewelry at http://silvertribe.com/

[kat1127]

on 5/14/2009 Great tips, another great tip that I found on the Jewelry Information Center website is to only polish your jewelry with a polishing cloth or a fine piece of felt, never use paper towel or tissue because it could scratch it. For more great tips on how to care for and clean your jewelry check out www.JIC.org!

[ushieka]

on 2/16/2009 my gold rings were exposed to bleach for to long and now look brassy, how do I get them to look gold again

[Zyat]

on 10/29/2008 Never use cleaner on Opals. Only use a soft cloth meant for jewelry, found at a lens or jewelry store.

[lilianne]

on 6/15/2008 Thank you for the great tip. I was looking for silver cleaning method but I got it from www.hopechestjewelry.com.